Do Corticosteroids Benefit Children with Bacterial Meningitis?

Several studies have shown that adjuvant corticosteroid therapy lessens hearing loss in children with Haemophilus influenzae type B (Hib) meningitis. However, steroid treatment can have adverse effects, and the incidence of Hib meningitis has decreased markedly following introduction of the Hib vaccine. Do corticosteroids provide benefit in children with bacterial meningitis today?

To address this question, researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study of children (age, <18 years) who were discharged from the hospital between 2001 and 2006 with bacterial meningitis as their primary diagnosis. The investigators analyzed data from 27 tertiary care pediatric hospitals, obtained from the Pediatric Health Information System.

During the study …