Episode 973: Meningitis Retention Syndrome

Contributor: Travis Barlock MD

Educational Pearls:

• Meningitis retention syndrome is a relatively novel and rare clinical condition
  • Aseptic meningitis + acute urinary retention
  • One study reports an incidence of about 8% in patients with acute aseptic meningitis
• Clinical presentation
  • Typical meningeal symptoms including fever, stiff neck, and headache
  • Urinary retention occurs about one week after initial symptoms
• Potential pathophysiology
  • Immune-mediated dysfunction of the central nervous system
  • Detrusor muscle underactivity from inflammation of the spinal cord
• Management
  • Supportive care
  • Bladder decompression

References

1. Hiraga A, Kuwabara S. Meningitis-retention syndrome: Clinical features, frequency and prognosis. J Neurol Sci. 2018;390:261-264. doi:10.1016/j.jns.2018.05.008
2. Pellegrino F, Funiciello E, Pruccoli G, et al. Meningitis-retention syndrome: a review and update of an unrecognized clinical condition. Neurol Sci. 2023;44(6):1949-1957. doi:10.1007/s10072-023-06704-0

Summarized & Edited by Jorge Chalit, OMS4

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