Factores de riesgo asociados a mortalidad en pacientes de 0 a 18 años con encefalitis del Hospital del Niño Dr. Roberto Gilbert en el periodo 2020- 2023.

Abstract

Title: Risk Factors Associated with Mortality in Patients Aged 0-18 with Encephalitis at Dr. Roberto Gilbert Children's Hospital from 2020 to 2023 Introduction: Encephalitis is a devastating inflammatory brain disease characterized by neurological dysfunction, including altered mental status, behavioral changes, motor or sensory deficits, language abnormalities, and even seizures. Systemic inflammation signs, such as pleocytosis in CSF, neuroimaging, or electroencephalogram alterations, are also present. Objective: To determine the risk factors associated with mortality in children aged 0-18 with encephalitis at Dr. Roberto Gilbert Children's Hospital from 2020 to 2023. Methods: A relational study was conducted with 50 patients diagnosed with encephalitis between 2020 and 2023. Variables analyzed included age, sex, CSF laboratory results, neurological and systemic clinical characteristics. Results: Most patients were between 6 and 11 years old, but the group with the highest mortality rate was under 1 year, with a higher prevalence in females among deceased patients. Common symptoms included fever, seizures, and altered sensorium, with a Glasgow score of less than 13 points being associated with mortality. COVID-19 was the most frequent causal agent in the study and among deceased patients. The mortality rate was 8%. Conclusion: This study contributes to the understanding of clinical and epidemiological characteristics of encephalitis in the studied population and highlights the importance of early detection and adequate assessment of critical neurological signs to improve outcomes in patients with this disease.