L’utilisation de la corticothérapie dans la prévention des complications neurologiques auditives au cours des épidémies de méningites bactériennes au Niger

Abstract

Introduction: Bacterial meningitis is a source of complications and sequelae including auditory neurological damage. Objective: To assess the contribution of corticosteroid therapy in reducing the occurrence of auditory neurological sequelae during the epidemic of bacterial meningitis that occurred in Niamey in 2015. Methodology: This is a prospective study carried out in patients with meningitis in the infectious diseases department of the National Hospital of Niamey, from March to June 2015. We included all patients aged 0 to 15 years with bacterial meningitis. and received corticosteroid therapy in addition to etiological and symptomatic treatment. Results: The epidemic affected 1013 patients: 807 patients before the introduction of dexamethasone and 206 patients after its introduction. We recorded 157 cases (15.5%) of auditory neurological complications before the introduction of corticosteroid therapy. Of the 206 patients who received corticosteroid therapy, the most represented age group was that of 5 to 15 years with 146 patients (70.9%). The male gender predominated with 56.8% of cases. Hyperleucorachia was noted in all our patients. All these patients had hypoglycorachia and hyperproteinorachia. The serogroups found were Neisseria meningitidis W135 in 23.8% of cases and Neisseria meningitidis C in 76.2% of cases. Only 11 patients had auditory complications (1.1%): 2 cases of deafness and 9 cases of hearing loss which experienced a favorable evolution. Conclusion: Dexamethasone reduces the occurrence of auditory complications in bacterial meningitis due to Neisseria meningitidis