Introduction: Bacterial meningitis in adults is a time-dependent medical emergency due to its rapid progression, risk of septic shock, and severe neurological complications. The objective was to characterize the clinical profile, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cytochemical findings, and in-hospital outcomes in adult patients with a clinical diagnosis of meningitis.
Methods: A single-center, retrospective observational cohort study was conducted at a high-complexity hospital in Tunja, Colombia, a regional referral center. Patients with a clinical diagnosis of meningitis who underwent diagnostic lumbar puncture between 2019 and 2021 were included.
Results: Thirty-two patients were included, with a median age of 52 years and a male predominance. The most frequent symptoms were headache and fever; 53.1% presented with altered mental status at admission. CSF analysis showed pleocytosis with predominance of polymorphonuclear cells, low glucose levels, and elevated protein concentrations. In-hospital mortality was 21.9%, 25.0% of patients required admission to the intensive care unit, and 84.4% developed at least one complication.
Conclusions: Patients exhibited a clinical and cytochemical profile consistent with bacterial etiology and a high frequency of adverse outcomes (mortality ~22% and 84% complications). These findings highlight the severity of the condition and the need for timely diagnosis and treatment.
