Unfavorable outcome in bacterial meningitis is related to excessive inflammation and higher
inflammatory markers have been reported in female than in male patients. Sex steroid
hormones have immunomodulatory properties and can be found in the cerebrospinal fluid
(CSF); however, their actions have not been studied in bacterial meningitis. We investigated
the association between CSF sex steroid hormone levels and inflammatory parameters,
disease severity, and outcome in pneumococcal meningitis. We identified adults with culture …