A multicenter retrospective cohort study on incidence and diagnostics in emergency department patients with acute vestibular syndrome.

Objective: Acute vestibular syndrome (AVS) is a common symptom presented by emergency department (ED) patients. Differentiating peripheral from central etiology poses a challenge and clinical practice lacks a uniform diagnostic approach. This study aims to provide insight on incidence and diagnostics in ED patients presenting with AVS in the Netherlands.

Addition of host genetic variants in a prediction rule for post meningitis hearing loss in childhood: a model updating study.

Background: Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common sequela in survivors of bacterial meningitis (BM). In the past we developed a validated prediction model to identify children at risk for post-meningitis hearing loss. It is known that host genetic variations, besides clinical factors, contribute to severity and outcome of BM.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in pathogen recognition receptor genes are associated with susceptibility to meningococcal meningitis in a pediatric cohort.

Bacterial meningitis (BM) is a serious infection of the central nervous system, frequently occurring in childhood and often resulting in hearing loss, learning disabilities, and encephalopathy. Previous studies showed that genetic variation in innate immune response genes affects susceptibility, severity, and outcome of BM. The aim of this study is to describe whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in pathogen recognition gene products are associated with susceptibility to develop BM in single genes analysis as well as SNP combinations.

Independent validation of an existing model enables prediction of hearing loss after childhood bacterial meningitis.

Objective: This study aimed external validation of a formerly developed prediction model identifying children at risk for hearing loss after bacterial meningitis (BM). Independent risk factors included in the model are: duration of symptoms prior to admission, petechiae, cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) glucose level, Streptococcus pneumoniae and ataxia. Validation helps to evaluate whether the model has potential in clinical practice.

Polymorphisms in Toll-like receptors 2, 4, and 9 are highly associated with hearing loss in survivors of bacterial meningitis.

Genetic variation in innate immune response genes contributes to inter-individual differences in disease manifestation and degree of complications upon infection. We recently described an association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in TLR9 with susceptibility to meningococcal meningitis (MM). In this study, we investigate the association of SNPs in multiple pathogen recognition and immune response genes with clinical features that determine severity and outcome (especially hearing loss) of childhood MM and pneumococcal meningitis (PM).

Toll-like receptor 9 polymorphisms are associated with severity variables in a cohort of meningococcal meningitis survivors.

Background: Genetic variation in immune response genes is associated with susceptibility and severity of infectious diseases. Toll-like receptor (TLR) 9 polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to develop meningococcal meningitis (MM). The aim of this study is to compare genotype distributions of two TLR9 polymorphisms between clinical severity variables in MM survivors.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in TLR9 are highly associated with susceptibility to bacterial meningitis in children.

Background: Bacterial meningitis (BM) is a severe infection mainly caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae and Neisseria meningitidis (NM). However, genetically determined susceptibility to develop severe infections by these microorganisms is variable between individuals. Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) recognizes bacterial DNA leading to intracellular inflammatory signaling.