clinical characteristics of adult tetanus in a taiwan medical center

clinical characteristics of adult tetanus in a taiwan medical center

;Wei-Chieh Weng;Wen-Yi Huang;Tsung-I. Peng;Yu-Yi Chien;Kuo-Hsuan Chang;Long-Sun Ro;Rong-Kuo Lyu;Chia-Lun Wu
Bioorganic & medicinal chemistry letters 2011 Vol. 110 pp. 705-710
188
weng2011journalclinical

Abstract

Despite effective vaccine programs, tetanus is occasionally observed in adults. We reviewed clinical presentation data for adult patients with tetanus in the post-vaccine era in Taiwan. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of all adult patients (age >18 years) discharged from Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital at Lin-Ko (CGMHLK) after treatment for tetanus between January 1996 and July 2005. Data regarding demographic characteristics, clinical manifestation, treatment, and outcome were collected. To assess the features for different age groups, patients were divided into those aged ≥65 years and those aged <65 years. To identify risk factors for respiratory failure, the patients were classified as those with and without respiratory failure. Results: Twenty-three patients with tetanus, 11 (48%) women and 12 (52%) men, were included in the study. The average age was 57 ± 18 years (range 18–84 years). Eighteen (78%) patients had a history of acute injury. The average incubation period was 8 ± 5 days. The most common clinical presentation at onset was trismus (78%). Thirteen (57%) patients developed respiratory failure and underwent endotracheal intubation. The most common complication was pneumonia (30%). All the patients survived and recovered. Age ≥65 years was significantly associated with trismus, dysphagia, dysarthria, and pneumonia. Generalized tetanus subtype and pneumonia were significant risk factors for respiratory failure. Conclusion: This study revealed several characteristics of adult tetanus cases in the post-vaccine era in Taiwan. Further serological studies and improved tetanus vaccinations may be needed to ensure better protection, especially for high-risk populations. The exceptionally good prognosis for our patients confirms that appropriate treatment, including wound care, early diagnosis, proper medication, and prevention of complications, is essential in managing this traditional curable disease.

Citation

ID: 184430
Ref Key: weng2011journalclinical
Use this key to autocite in SciMatic or Thesis Manager

References

Blockchain Verification

Account:
NFT Contract Address:
0x95644003c57E6F55A65596E3D9Eac6813e3566dA
Article ID:
184430
Unique Identifier:
10.1016/j.jfma.2011.09.007
Network:
Scimatic Chain (ID: 481)
Loading...
Blockchain Readiness Checklist
Authors
Abstract
Journal Name
Year
Title
5/5
Creates 1,000,000 NFT tokens for this article
Token Features:
  • ERC-1155 Standard NFT
  • 1 Million Supply per Article
  • Transferable via MetaMask
  • Permanent Blockchain Record
Blockchain QR Code
Scan with Saymatik Web3.0 Wallet

Saymatik Web3.0 Wallet