Maladies neuroinfectieuses

Abstrait

Investigating the Causes of Febrile Encephalopathy in Elderly Patients Admitted to Imam Reza Hospital in Mashhad during the 2013 to 2014

Naderi Hamid Reza, Sheybani F and Sajjadi Sareh

Background: Encephalopathy is a non-specific clinical syndrome, which if accompanied or followed by fever, its broad range of differential diagnosis will be restricted. As elderly patients with encephalopathy present with non-specific manifestations, the recognition of causes are important for clinicians to manage the disease with more accuracy. This study evaluated the causes of encephalopathy following febrile illness in elderly adults admitted to Imam Reza hospital of Mashhad, Iran.

Methods and materials: This prospective cohort study was carried out during January 2013 to January 2014. An application check-list was designed based on the objects of the study and was filled for all admitted patients. Check-list contained data including age, sex, and disease outcome, duration of hospitalization, background disease, and season of admission, performing or not performing brain imaging and lumbar puncture; and the final diagnosis of febrile encephalopathy.

Results: The age of all 100 participants were 65 years and over consisting of 39 female and 61 male. Of them, only 34 patients underwent lumbar puncture, among them the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis was abnormal in 29.4%. Infectious causes were responsible for febrile encephalopathy in 94 patients, of which 84% had an extra-cranial infection and neuro-infectious process was detected in 10%.

Discussion: Current study presented extra-cranial infections as the leading cause of febrile encephalopathy in elderly patients. So, it should be considered as an important origin whenever an older patient presents with fever and altered mental status.