A systematic review of clinical guidelines on the management of acute, community-acquired CNS infections

Performance of large language models on advocating the management of meningitis: a comparative qualitative study

OBJECTIVES

We aimed to examine the adherence of large language models (LLMs) to bacterial meningitis guidelines using a hypothetical medical case, highlighting their utility and limitations in healthcare.

METHODS

A simulated clinical scenario of a patient with bacterial meningitis secondary to mastoiditis was presented in three independent sessions to seven publicly accessible LLMs (Bard, Bing, Claude-2, GTP-3.5, GTP-4, Llama, PaLM). Responses were evaluated for adherence to good clinical practice and two international meningitis guidelines.

RESULTS

A central nervous system infection was identified in 90% of LLM sessions. All recommended imaging, while 81% suggested lumbar puncture. Blood cultures and specific mastoiditis work-up were proposed in only 62% and 38% sessions, respectively. Only 38% of sessions provided the correct empirical antibiotic treatment, while antiviral treatment and dexamethasone were advised in 33% and 24%, respectively. Misleading statements were generated in 52%. No significant correlation was found between LLMs' text length and performance (r=0.29, p=0.20). Among all LLMs, GTP-4 demonstrated the best performance.

DISCUSSION

Latest LLMs provide valuable advice on differential diagnosis and diagnostic procedures but significantly vary in treatment-specific information for bacterial meningitis when introduced to a realistic clinical scenario. Misleading statements were common, with performance differences attributed to each LLM's unique algorithm rather than output length.

CONCLUSIONS

Users must be aware of such limitations and performance variability when considering LLMs as a support tool for medical decision-making. Further research is needed to refine these models' comprehension of complex medical scenarios and their ability to provide reliable information.

An Outbreak of Coxsackievirus B Type 2 Acute Meningoencephalitis in Children, Israel, July-September 2022

During July-September 2022, 14 children suffering from meningoencephalitis tested positive for Coxsackievirus B2 (8 cerebrospinal fluid, 9 stool samples). Mean age 22 months (range 0-60 months); 8 were males. Seven of the children presented with ataxia and 2 had imaging features of rhombencephalitis, not previously described in association with Coxsackievirus B2.

Dynamics of community-acquired meningitis syndrome outbreaks in southern France

In southern France, cases of community-acquired meningitis syndrome (CAM) are typically clustered as outbreaks with determinants which remain unknown. This 61-month retrospective investigation in Nîmes and Marseille university hospital laboratories, yielded 2,209/20,779 (10.63%) documented CAM cases caused by 62 different micro-organisms, represented by seasonal viral etiologies (78.8%), including Enterovirus, Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV), and Varicella-Zoster Virus (VZV; 1,620/2,209 = 73.4%). Multi correspondence analysis revealed an association of infection with age and sex, with the risk of infection being relatively higher in young men, as confirmed by Fisher's exact test (p < 10^-3). Bacterial meningitis accounted for 20% of cases, mostly caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae (27.4% of cases), Neisseria meningitidis (12.5%), and Haemophilus influenzae (9.5%) with bacteria/virus coinfection (0.9%), and only six cases of documented fungal meningitis. In total, 62.6% of cases, of which 88.7% were undocumented, arose from 10 outbreaks. 33.2% of undocumented cases were aged >60 years compared to 19.2% of documented cases (p < 0.001), and viral infection was more common in the summer (87.5%) compared to other seasons (72.3%; p < 0.001). Outbreaks most often started in Nîmes and moved eastward toward Marseille at a speed of ~9 km/day, and these dynamics significantly correlated with atmospheric temperature, especially during summer outbreaks. In particular, the incidence of Enterovirus-driven outbreaks correlated with temperature, revealing correlation coefficients of 0.64 in Nîmes and 0.72 in Marseille, and its occurrence in Marseille lagged that in Nîmes by 1-2 weeks. Tracing the dynamics of CAM outbreak during this retrospective investigation in southern France yielded a speed of displacement that correlated with the variation in temperature between both cities, and these results provide clues for the next occurrence of undocumented outbreaks.

Delayed onset of fatal encephalitis in a COVID-19 positive patient

BACKGROUND

The SARS-nCoV-2019 epidemic has spread since December 2019, quickly gaining worldwide attention. Symptoms consist of fever, cough and breathing difficulties. An increasing number of studies are focusing on neurological manifestations. In addition to the typical ageusia and anosmia, up to 30% of cases can present headache, nausea and vomiting. More serious neurological manifestations, such as encephalitis, thrombosis and cerebral haemorrhage have been reported.

CASE DESCRIPTION

We described the case of a 47-year-old man who tested positive for COVID-19 virus in early March 2020. After two negative nasopharyngeal swabs, 41 days after the diagnosis of COVID-19 infection, he developed intense headache with fever, and he was hospitalized. He had subsequent generalized epileptic seizures and intubation was necessary. Contrast Head MRI was negative for brain abscesses or tumours but detected severe vasogenic oedema of the white matter with 10 mm shift of the midline and compression of the right lateral ventricle. Massive cortisone support therapy was ineffective. We diagnosed brain death on day 43 from the infection diagnosis.

DISCUSSION

COVID-19 virus can reach the brain, penetrating into the neuronal cells through the interaction between the spike protein S1 and the host ACE-2 receptor, expressed in the capillary endothelium. We believe that in this infection, the pro-inflammatory state induced by the cytokine storm can cause a cerebral cell-mediated response, with subsequent vasodilatation and brain oedema.

CONCLUSION

To our knowledge, this is the first description of a delayed onset cell-mediated encephalitis caused by COVID-19 virus after more than 40 days from the diagnosis.

Outbreak of central nervous system infections among children in Thai Binh, Viet Nam

From July to October 2020, 99 cases of central nervous system (CNS) infections were identified in Thai Binh Pediatric Hospital, Viet Nam, representing a five-fold increase compared to the baseline incidence during the previous five years. Clinical data were retrospectively collected. Cerebrospinal fluid specimens (CSF) were secondarily tested for pathogens using viral culture and PCR assays. Patient median age was 5 years (0–12 years); 58.6% were male. Of these children, 83.8% had CSF white blood culture (WBC) counts of ≥ 10 cells/µL, including 58 of 99 (58.6%) with a WBC count ≥ 100 cells/µL. Overall, 72 (72.7%) patients had confirmed infections with a pathogen identified in the CSF, the majority of which (66) were enterovirus. Sequencing results suggested that the rise of incidence observed in 2020 was due to Echovirus 4 (n =  45), Echovirus 30 (n =  8), and Echovirus 6 (n =  1) circulation. A confirmed CNS infection was significantly associated with older age (≥5 years, OR = 3.64, p = 0.03) and with an increased WBC count in the CSF (OR = 6.38, p-value = 0.01 for WBCs from 10 to <100 and OR = 7.90, p-value = 0.002 for WBCs ≥100). Ninety-seven (97) of 99 (98.0%) children received empiric antimicrobial treatment, and 35 (35.3%) were treated with multiple antibiotics. Eighty-four (84) patients (84.9%) were discharged home, and 11 (11.1%) were transferred to the National Hospital because their condition had worsened. No deaths were recorded. Point-of-care tests, including real-time PCR assays to identify common pathogens, should be implemented for more accurate diagnosis and more appropriate antibiotic use.

A critical appraisal of clinical practice guidelines on insomnia using the RIGHT statement and AGREE II instrument

OBJECTIVE

Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) have an indispensable role in guiding the selection of various treatments for insomnia, however, little is known about the quality of released insomnia CPGs. This study aims to critically appraise the quality of existing insomnia CPGs and identify quality limitations.

METHODS

PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, China Biology Medicine disc, and 6 databases of international guideline developing institutions were systematically searched. CPGs on the diagnosis or treatment of insomnia were included. Reviewers independently extracted basic information and development methods, and assessed methodological quality and reporting quality using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation (AGREE) II tool and Reporting Items for practice Guidelines in Healthcare (RIGHT) checklist respectively. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to measure the agreement among reviewers and assess inter-rater reliability.

RESULTS

Twenty-six CPGs were identified that focused on adults, children, or children with autistic spectrum disorder, patients in the intensive care unit, patients with cancer and pregnant, lactating or menopausal women. Twenty-two CPGs used nine grading systems to rate the level of evidence and strength of recommendation. 53.85% CPGs were classified as "recommended with modification" according to the AGREE II scores (ICC from 0.64 to 0.90), and 2 CPGs were "recommended". The "clarity of presentation" domain achieved the highest mean score (67.9% ± 11.04%) but the "applicability" domain (37.1% ± 12.67%) achieved the lowest. The average reporting rate of RIGHT items in all guidelines was 67.87%.

CONCLUSIONS

The quality of guidelines varied substantially. Guideline developers should realize the importance of guideline applicability, patients' preferences and values.

Preparing for pandemics: a systematic review of pandemic influenza clinical management guidelines

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of evidence-based clinical decision-making. Clinical management guidelines (CMGs) may help reduce morbidity and mortality by improving the quality of clinical decisions. This systematic review aims to evaluate the availability, inclusivity, and quality of pandemic influenza CMGs, to identify gaps that can be addressed to strengthen pandemic preparedness in this area.

METHODS

Ovid Medline, Ovid Embase, TRIP (Turning Research Into Practice), and Guideline Central were searched systematically from January 2008 to 23rd June 2022, complemented by a grey literature search till 16th June 2022. Pandemic influenza CMGs including supportive care or empirical treatment recommendations were included. Two reviewers independently extracted data from the included studies and assessed their quality using AGREE II (Appraisal of Guidelines for Research & Evaluation). The findings are presented narratively.

RESULTS

Forty-eight CMGs were included. They were produced in high- (42%, 20/48), upper-middle- (40%, 19/48), and lower-middle (8%, 4/48) income countries, or by international organisations (10%, 5/48). Most CMGs (81%, 39/48) were over 5 years old. Guidelines included treatment recommendations for children (75%, 36/48), pregnant women (54%, 26/48), people with immunosuppression (33%, 16/48), and older adults (29%, 14/48). Many CMGs were of low quality (median overall score: 3 out of 7 (range 1-7). All recommended oseltamivir; recommendations for other neuraminidase inhibitors and supportive care were limited and at times contradictory. Only 56% (27/48) and 27% (13/48) addressed oxygen and fluid therapy, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data highlights the limited availability of up-to-date pandemic influenza CMGs globally. Of those identified, many were limited in scope and quality and several lacked recommendations for specific at-risk populations. Recommendations on supportive care, the mainstay of treatment, were limited and heterogeneous. The most recent guideline highlighted that the evidence-base to support antiviral treatment recommendations is still limited. There is an urgent need for trials into treatment and supportive care strategies including for different risk populations. New evidence should be incorporated into globally accessible guidelines, to benefit patient outcomes. A 'living guideline' framework is recommended and further research into guideline implementation in different resourced settings, particularly low- and middle-income countries.

Current state and practice variation in the use of Meningitis/Encephalitis (ME) FilmArray panel in children

Background

The Meningitis/Encephalitis FilmArray® Panel (ME panel) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2015 and provides rapid results when assessing patients with suspected meningitis or encephalitis. These patients are evaluated by various subspecialties including pediatric hospital medicine (PHM), pediatric emergency medicine (PEM), pediatric infectious diseases, and pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) physicians. The objective of this study was to evaluate the current use of the ME panel and describe the provider and subspecialty practice variation.

Methods

We conducted an online cross-sectional survey via the American Academy of Pediatrics Section of Hospital Medicine (AAP-SOHM) ListServe, Brown University PEM ListServe, and PICU Virtual pediatric system (VPS) Listserve.

Results

A total of 335 participants out of an estimated 6998 ListServe subscribers responded to the survey. 68% reported currently using the ME panel at their institutions. Among test users, most reported not having institutional guidelines on test indications (75%) or interpretation (76%). 58% of providers self-reported lack of knowledge of the test’s performance characteristics. Providers from institutions that have established guidelines reported higher knowledge compared to those that did not (51% vs. 38%; p = 0.01). More PHM providers reported awareness of ME panel performance characteristics compared to PEM physicians (48% vs. 27%; p = 0.004); confidence in test interpretation was similar between both groups (72 vs. 69%; p = 0.80).

Conclusion

Despite the widespread use of the ME panel, few providers report having institutional guidelines on test indications or interpretation. There is an opportunity to provide knowledge and guidance about the ME panel among various pediatric subspecialties.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12879-022-07789-2.

Diagnostic accuracy of rapid one-step PCR assays for detection of herpes Simplex virus -1 and -2 in cerebrospinal fluid: A systematic Review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Rapid and accurate diagnosis of HSV-1 and -2 (HSV1/2) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) is important for patient management.

OBJECTIVES

Summarize the diagnostic accuracy of commercial rapid sample-to-answer PCR assays (results in <90 minutes, without a separate nucleic acid extraction step) for HSV1/2 detection in CSF.

DATA SOURCES

Four databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus and CENTRAL) and five conference abstract datasets from January 2012 to March 2022.

STUDY ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Diagnostic accuracy studies of FilmArray Meningitis-Encephalitis Panel™ and Simplexa™ HSV 1&2 Direct Kit compared to a PCR reference standard were included. Eligible studies provided sufficient data for the construction of a standard diagnostic accuracy two-by-two table.

PARTICIPANTS

Patients with suspected meningitis and/or encephalitis.

ASSESSMENT OF RISK OF BIAS

Two investigators independently extracted data, rated risk of bias and assessed quality using QUADAS-2.

METHODS

Accuracy estimates were pooled using Bayesian random effects models.

RESULTS

Thirty-one studies were included (27 FilmArray; 4 Simplexa), comprising 9,924 samples, with 95 HSV-1 and 247 HSV-2 infections. Pooled FilmArray sensitivities were 84.3% (95% credible interval 72.3%-93.0%) and 92.9% (95%CrI, 82.0%-98.5%) for HSV-1 and HSV-2, respectively; specificities were 99.8% (95%CrI, 99.6%-99.9%) and 99.9% (95%CrI, 99.9%-100%). Pooled Simplexa sensitivities were 97.1% (95%CrI, 88.1%-99.6%) and 97.9% (95%CrI, 89.6%-99.9%), respectively; specificities were 98.9% (95%CrI, 96.8%-99.7%) and 98.9% (95%CrI, 97.1%-99.7%). Pooled FilmArray sensitivities favored industry-sponsored studies by 10.0 and 13.0 percentage points for HSV-1 and HSV-2, respectively. Incomplete reporting frequently led to unclear risk of bias. Several FilmArray studies did not fully report true negative data leading to their exclusion.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest Simplexa is accurate for HSV1/2 detection in CSF. Moderate FilmArray sensitivity for HSV-1 suggests additional testing and/or repeat CSF sampling is required for suspected HSV encephalitis when the HSV-1 result is negative. Low prevalence of HSV-1 infections limited summary estimates' precision. Underreporting of covariates limited exploration of heterogeneity.

Evaluation of FilmArray ME panel for the rapid diagnosis of meningitis-encephalitis in emergency departments

To assess the impact of a rapid diagnostic system based on nucleic acid amplification techniques (FilmArray ME) on the diagnosis and treatment of patients with meningitis or encephalitis admitted to our emergency department. Between November 2016, and June 2019 we studied 79 samples of cerebrospinal fluid from patients admitted to our emergency department with suspected diagnoses of meningitis or encephalitis. FilmArray ME panel was used routinely in addition to conventional laboratory methods for the identification of microorganisms in cerebrospinal fluid samples (CSF). A total of 46 (58%) patients had clinical and CSF results suggestive of meningitis or encephalitis, and 24 (30%) had a confirmed microbiological diagnosis. Patients' mean age was 41 years (range 2 months to 90 years) and 56% were male. Four patients had been partially treated with antibiotics. FilmArray ME identified 23 cases (1 fungal, 11 bacterial, and 11 viral). Gram staining showed microorganisms in 5 cases (1 fungal, 4 bacterial), and conventional microbiology cultures identified 8 cases (1 fungal and 7 bacterial). The time difference (95% confidence interval) between FilmArray ME and cerebrospinal fluid culture results was 3.2 days (95% CI 2.7-3.7; P < 0.001). FilmArray ME results induced modifications in antimicrobial treatment in 27 (59%) patients. The FilmArray ME panel provided a fast and reliable result in a large proportion of patients, even in those patients with culture-negative bacterial meningitis. Use of FilmArray ME can contribute to antimicrobial stewardship.

Strategies for the diagnosis and management of meningitis in HIV-infected adults in resource limited settings

INTRODUCTION

The incidence of human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) associated meningitis has been declining in the post-combination antiretroviral treatment (ART) era, although survival rates remain low for the common causes like tuberculosis and cryptococcal disease. Diagnosis and treatment of meningitis in HIV-1 is complicated by atypical clinical presentations, limited accuracy of diagnostic tests, access to diagnostic tests, and therapeutic agents in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) and immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS).

AREAS COVERED

We provide an overview of the common etiologies of meningitis in HIV-1-infected adults, suggest a diagnostic approach based on readily available tests, and review specific chemotherapeutic agents, host-directed therapies, supportive care, timing of ART initiation, and considerations in the management of IRIS with a focus on resource-limited settings. They identify key knowledge gaps and suggest areas for future research.

EXPERT OPINION

Evidence-based management of HIV-1-associated meningitis is sparse for common etiologies. More readily available and sensitive diagnostic tests as well as standardized investigation strategies are required in LMIC. There is a lack of availability of recommended drugs in areas of high HIV-1 prevalence and a limited pipeline of novel chemotherapeutic agents. Host-directed therapies have been inadequately studied.

Assessment of the FilmArray ME panel in 4199 consecutively tested cerebrospinal fluid samples

OBJECTIVES

In central nervous system infections, early and correct management is of utmost importance. Rapid syndromic panel testing can potentially provide valuable guidance. The FilmArray meningitis/encephalitis (ME) panel detects 14 pathogens through multiplex PCR. Our study objectives were to assess its performance compared with established diagnostic procedures, especially real-time quantitative PCR for detection of viruses, and to determine the diagnostic and clinical significance of discrepant results.

METHODS

All cerebrospinal fluid samples sent for viral diagnostics to our microbiological laboratory over 34 months were analysed with the ME panel and in-house real-time PCR for herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), HSV-2, varicella zoster virus and enteroviruses. Other pathogens detected by the panel were confirmed by routine diagnostic procedures. Discrepant results were analysed through interpretation of biological and clinical data, and performance data were calculated for individual pathogens.

RESULTS

Altogether, 315 pathogens were detected by the ME panel in 4199 cerebrospinal fluid samples (7.5%) and an additional 21 viral targets were identified using real-time PCR. Thirty-four ME panel detections were not confirmed, totalling 55 discrepant results. After discrepancy analysis, 20 false-positive and 21 false-negative ME panel results remained. Performance varied between pathogens. Sensitivity for HSV-1 was calculated at 82.4% (59.0%-93.8%) with three false-negative results. Also noteworthy were 13 false-negative enterovirus and eight false-positive Streptococcus pneumoniae results.

CONCLUSIONS

Our analysis shows good performance for the ME panel in diagnosing central nervous system infection. The risk of false-negative HSV-1 results, however, warrants additional testing when encephalitis is suspected. Uncertainties in interpretation of enterovirus and S. pneumoniae results represent other limitations.

A systematic literature review on the prevalence and etiology of meningitis among critically ill and hospitalized patients in India

BACKGROUND

In India, owing to multiple factors, such as insufficient laboratory capacity, poor reporting systems due to limited access to healthcare facilities and limited disease surveillance programmes, the actual disease burden of meningitis is unknown and may be largely under-reported.

OBJECTIVE

A systematic literature review was performed to describe: (a) the prevalence of meningitis; and (b) its etiological pathogen across different regions, age groups and patients with comorbidities.

METHOD

A systematic literature search was conducted between 1990 and 2020 using PubMed and Google Scholar databases to identify Indian studies reporting the prevalence rates and etiology of meningitis. A total of 51 studies were included in the final analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 38 studies reported prevalence of meningitis and 21 studies reported data on the etiology of meningitis in India. These studies included mixed patient populations: (a) pyogenic meningitis; (b) meningitis in sick or hospitalized patients with tuberculosis, acute febrile encephalopathy syndrome, septicaemia, invasive pneumococcal disease or respiratory compromise; and (c) meningitis patients with comorbidities. The prevalence of confirmed bacterial meningitis in the pediatric population (0-14 years) ranged between 0.5% and 61.8%. A total of seven studies reported the prevalence of meningitis in patients of all age groups (0-75 years), with prevalence ranging between 8.68% and 78.85%. Cryptococcal meningitis was predominant in patients with positive HIV/AIDS, with a prevalence ranging between 2.09% and 53.1%. Streptococcus pneumoniae was found to be the predominant pathogen causing meningitis across different regions of India, with a frequency ranging from 4% to 61.8% in patients of all age groups.

CONCLUSION

This systematic literature review displayed the possible range of frequency of bacterial meningitis pathogens across a wide variety of age groups in different regions of India. Further studies are warranted to monitor meningitis cases, which may facilitate the development of prevention and treatment strategies in India.

Infectious Disease Team Review Using Antibiotic Switch and Discharge Criteria Shortens the Duration of Intravenous Antibiotic: A Single-Center Cluster-Randomized Controlled Trial in Thailand

Background

Strategies have been recommended to optimize early antibiotic (ATB) switching from intravenous (IV) to oral ATB. This study aimed to determine whether infectious disease (ID) team review using ATB switch and discharge criteria would shorten the duration of IV ATB and length of hospital stay (LOS).

Methods

This cluster-randomized controlled trial was conducted in 8 general medical wards as cluster units at Siriraj Hospital during January–October 2019. The ID team review with checklist criteria was performed on the third, fifth, and seventh day of IV-ATB treatment to determine (1) the suitability of switching to oral ATB or outpatient parenteral ATB therapy and (2) early discharge for patients receiving IV-ATB versus control. The primary outcomes were LOS and the duration or days of therapy (DOT) or defined daily dose (DDD) of IV-ATB therapy.

Results

Four wards each were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups (46 patients/cluster, 184 patients/arm). No significant difference was observed between intervention and controls for median duration of IV-ATB therapy (7 vs 7 days) and LOS (9 vs 10 days). A significantly shorter duration of IV ATB was observed in patients without sepsis in the intervention group when measured by DOT (7 vs 8 days, P = .027) and DDD (7 vs 9, P = .017) in post hoc analysis.

Conclusions

Infectious disease team review using checklist criteria did not result in a shorter duration of IV-ATB and LOS in overall patients. Further study is needed to determine whether faster culture turnaround time or advanced testing will reduce the duration of IV-ATB therapy.

Critical appraisal of the quality of clinical practice guidelines for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Background

Clinical practice guidelines (CPGs) have long served as an essential tool for clinicians to rationalize their treatment in practice. However, the quality of guidelines varies greatly. The present study aimed to analyze high-quality CPGs of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and highlight the potential for further improvement.

Methods

Three guideline developers’ websites, PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science, as well as a public search engine, Google Scholar, were searched to retrieve CPGs regarding the management of IPF. The methodology and reporting quality of retrieved CPGs were assessed using the validated Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation Instrument II (AGREE II) and Reporting Items for Practice Guidelines in Healthcare (RIGHT) checklist.

Results

Twelve IPF CPGs were reviewed, among which 7 (58.3%) were considered as “recommended” and 1 (8.3%) as “recommended with modifications”. Among the 6 domains of AGREE II, scope and purpose (70.99%) and clarity of presentation (68.06%) were considered to be the fields in which CPGs performed best, evidenced by the highest mean AGREE II scores. The domains in which the reviewed CPGs received the lowest mean scores were rigor of development (50.87%) and applicability (34.14%). The intraclass correlation coefficient scores were excellent in each domain. The basic information domain received the highest overall reporting rate in the 7 domains of the RIGHT checklist; the other 6 domains had a full reporting rate of <50%. Eight items had a satisfactory level of reporting, whereas 14 items had poor reporting according to the RIGHT checklist. Correlation analysis revealed a highly positive correlation between the methodology and reporting quality of CPGs for IPF (r=0.872).

Conclusions

The methodological quality of selected IPF CPGs fluctuated greatly, and the full reporting rate was found to be quite low in some domains. In the future, we should focus not only on improving the methodological quality in the development of guidelines, but also on the reporting quality of guidelines.

Steroid-Responsive Encephalitis in Coronavirus Disease 2019

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection has the potential for targeting the central nervous system, and several neurological symptoms have been described in patients with severe respiratory distress. Here, we described the case of a 60-year-old patient with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection but only mild respiratory abnormalities who developed an akinetic mutism attributable to encephalitis. Magnetic resonance imaging was negative, whereas electroencephalography showed generalized theta slowing. Cerebrospinal fluid analyses during the acute stage were negative for SARS-CoV-2, positive for pleocytosis and hyperproteinorrachia, and showed increased interleukin-8 and tumor necrosis factor-α concentrations. Other infectious or autoimmune disorders were excluded. A progressive clinical improvement along with a reduction of cerebrospinal fluid parameters was observed after high-dose steroid treatment, thus arguing for an inflammatory-mediated brain involvement related to COVID-19. ANN NEUROL 2020;88:423-427.

Childhood Infectious Encephalitis: An Overview of Clinical Features, Investigations, Treatment, and Recent Patents

BACKGROUND

Infectious encephalitis is a serious and challenging condition to manage. This overview summarizes the current literature regarding the etiology, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, management, and recent patents of acute childhood infectious encephalitis.

METHODS

We used PubMed Clinical Queries as a search engine and used keywords of "encephalitis" AND "childhood" Patents were searched using the key term "encephalitis" in google.patents.- com and patentsonline.com.

RESULTS

Viral encephalitis is the most common cause of acute infectious encephalitis in children. In young children, the clinical manifestations can be non-specific. Provision of empiric antimicrobial therapy until a specific infectious organism has been identified, which in most cases includes acyclovir, is the cornerstone of therapy. Advanced investigation tools, including nucleic acid-based test panel and metagenomic next-generation sequencing, improve the diagnostic yield of identifying an infectious organism. Supportive therapy includes adequate airway and oxygenation, fluid and electrolyte balance, cerebral perfusion pressure support, and seizure control. Recent patents are related to the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of acute infectious encephalitis.

CONCLUSION

Viral encephalitis is the most common cause of acute infectious encephalitis in children and is associated with significant morbidity. Recent advances in understanding the genetic basis and immunological correlation of infectious encephalitis may improve treatment. Third-tier diagnostic tests may be incorporated into clinical practice. Treatment is targeted at the infectious process but remains mostly supportive. However, specific antimicrobial agents and vaccines development is ongoing.