Larsen L, et al. - Compromised cerebral energy metabolism is commonly reported in patients with bacterial meningitis, so researchers investigated if disturbed energy metabolism was typically due to insufficient tissue oxygenation or compromised oxidative metabolism of pyruvate, which would suggest mitochondrial dysfunction in these patients. In this prospective cohort study, 10 consecutive patients with severe streptococcus meningitis were examined. Findings revealed that this patient population commonly had compromised cerebral energy metabolism, indicated by higher LP ratio. Also, compromised cerebral energy metabolism in these patients was not associated with insufficient tissue oxygenation.