Role of Dexamethasone and Oral Glycerol in Reducing Hearing and Neurological Sequelae in Children with Bacterial Meningitis

Objective: To investigate the efficacy of dexamethasone and oral glycerol in reducing hearing and neurological sequelae in children with acute bacterial meningitis (ABM).

Design: Prospective double blind, placebo controlled randomized study.

Setting: Pediatric services of a tertiary care teaching and referral hospital.

Subjects: Children 2 months to 12 years with a diagnosis of acute bacterial meningitis admitted between June 2002 to September 2003.

Intervention: Subjects were assigned randomly to receive dexamethasone, glycerol, dexamethasone+glycerol or placebo. Neurological and hearing impairment was assessed at discharge and after 1 month.

Results: 58 children (48 boys, 10 girls), mean age 50.2 +/- 41.0 months, were studied. Twelve patients received dexamethasone, 13 glycerol, 20 dexamethasone + glycerol and 13 placebo. Bacterial etiology was ascertained in 24 patients: Streptococcus pneumoniae-10, H influenzae b-7, Staph. aureus-5 and others-2. Three (5.2%) children died during hospital stay and 55 survived. Seven (12%) patients had neurological sequelae (3 in glycerol, 3 in dexamethasone+glycerol, 1 in placebo group, P = 0.29), and 10 patients (17%) had hearing sequelae (2 in glycerol, 3 in dexamethasone, 2 dexamethasone + glycerol and 3 in placebo group, P = 0.68).

Conclusion: No significant difference was seen in neurological or hearing outcome with use of either glycerol or dexamethasone in children with acute bacterial meningitis.