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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Research shows steroids are an effective treatment for adults with bacterial meningitis. Because of this information, doctors have been treating children with bacterial meningitis with steroids as well. But a new study finds the benefit does not transfer to children. Study authors say this finding reminds doctors that children are not just small adults when it comes to medical treatments.
Meningitis is an inflammation of the membrane lining in the brain. The bacterial form is relatively rare in children, but can be life threatening and requires hospitalization and treatment with antibiotics.
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Researchers from The Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia analyzed medical records of 2,780 children with bacterial meningitis at 27 pediatric hospitals in the United States. The median age of the children was nine months. They found 248 of the children received corticosteroids. Study authors compared deaths and amount of time in the hospital between the children who received corticosteroids and those who did not.
Study authors say there was no benefit in survival or in reduced hospital stays for the children on corticosteroids. This is in contrast to studies in adults that show a clear benefit from corticosteroids. Researchers say a large randomized clinical trial needs to be done before the use of steroids becomes routine in children with bacterial meningitis.
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SOURCE: The Journal of the American Medical Association, 2008;299
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