Diagnostic prediction models for bacterial meningitis in children with a suspected central nervous system infection: a systematic review and prospective validation study.

Objectives: Diagnostic prediction models exist to assess the probability of bacterial meningitis (BM) in paediatric patients with suspected meningitis. To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of these models in a broad population of children suspected of a central nervous system (CNS) infection, we performed external validation.

Methods: We performed a systematic literature review in Medline to identify articles on the development, refinement or validation of a prediction model for BM, and validated these models in a prospective cohort of children aged 0-18 years old suspected of a CNS infection.

Biallelic variants in cause a novel autosomal recessive syndrome presenting with cardiac conduction defects and variable hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

encodes for the Popeye domain-containing protein 2 which has an important role in cardiac pacemaking and conduction, due in part to its cAMP-dependent binding and regulation of TREK-1 potassium channels. Loss of in mice results in sinus pauses and bradycardia and morpholino knockdown of zebrafish results in atrioventricular (AV) block. We identified bi-allelic variants in in 4 families that presented with a phenotypic spectrum consisting of sinus node dysfunction, AV conduction defects and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.

Granulocytes in cerebrospinal fluid of adults suspected of a central nervous system infection: a prospective study of diagnostic accuracy.

Purpose: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) granulocytes are associated with bacterial meningitis, but information on its diagnostic value is limited and primarily based on retrospective studies. Therefore, we assessed the diagnostic accuracy of CSF granulocytes.

Methods: We analyzed CSF granulocytes (index test) from all consecutive patients in two prospective cohort studies in the Netherlands.

Diagnostic accuracy of inflammatory markers in adults with suspected central nervous system infections.

Objectives: We aimed to determine diagnostic accuracy of inflammatory markers in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) for the diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) infections and specifically bacterial meningitis.

Methods: We analyzed 12 cytokines, chemokines, and acute phase reactants in CSF and plasma of 738 patients with suspected neurological infection included in a multicenter prospective cohort. We determined diagnostic accuracy for predicting any CNS infection and bacterial meningitis.

Diagnostic accuracy of clinical and laboratory characteristics in suspected non-surgical nosocomial central nervous system infections.

Background: The diagnosis of meningitis in non-surgical hospitalized patients is often difficult and diagnostic accuracy of clinical, laboratory, and radiological characteristics is unknown.

Aim: To assess diagnostic accuracy for individual clinical characteristics of patients suspected of non-surgical nosocomial central nervous system (CNS) infections.

Methods: In a prospective multi-centre cohort study in the Netherlands with adults suspected of CNS infections, consecutive patients who underwent a lumbar puncture for the suspicion of a non-surgical nosocomial CNS infection were included.