Photo Credit: Sopone Nawoot

The following is a summary of “Profiles of Primary Brain Abscesses and Their Impact on Survival: An International ID-IRI Study,” published in the August 2024 issue of Infectious Disease by Sahin et al.

Researchers conducted a retrospective study to aim and understand infecting agents, predisposing factors, and outcomes, focusing on factors affecting the mortality of 331 patients with primary brain abscess (PBA). 

They analyzed data collected from 39 centers across 16 countries between January 2010 and December 2022, including clinical, radiological, and microbiological findings and their impact on mortality.

The results showed that the patients had a mean±SD age of 46.8±16.3 years, with a male predominance of 71.6%. Common symptoms included headache (77.9%), fever (54.4%), and focal neurological deficits (53.5%). Gram-positive cocci were the predominant, with viridans group streptococci, the frequently isolated organisms. Every individual received antimicrobial therapy, and 71.6% had interventional therapies. The 42-day and 180-day survival rates were 91.9% and 86.1%, respectively. Significant predictors of 42-day mortality were intravenous drug addiction (HR: 6.02, 95% CI: 1.38–26.26), malignancy (HR: 3.61, 95% CI: 1.23–10.58), confusion (HR: 2.65, 95% CI: 1.19–5.88), and unidentified bacteria (HR: 4.68, 95% CI: 1.76–12.43) whereas Significant predictors of 180-day mortality were malignancy (HR: 2.70, 95% CI: 1.07–6.81), confusion (HR: 2.14, 95% CI: 1.11–4.15), temporal lobe involvement (HR: 2.10, 95% CI: 1.08–4.08), and unidentified bacteria (HR: 3.02, 95% CI: 1.49–6.15).

They concluded the risk of death in PBA beyond the infection phase, with different factors, affected the 42-day and 180-day mortality rates. Intravenous drug addiction and temporal lobe involvement were linked to early and late mortality, respectively. 

Source: ijidonline.com/article/S1201-9712(24)00299-6/fulltext