title: Cerebrospinal fluid syndromes in HIV-positive patients with acute consciousness compromise.
abstract: We reviewed the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) syndromes of 100 consecutive HIV-positive patients presenting acute consciousness compromise in emergency rooms, and correlated them with clinical data. The most frequent CSF syndromes were: absolute protein-cytological dissociation (21), viral (19), neurocryptococcosis (7), relative protein-cytological dissociation (6) and septic (4), moderate hypoglycorrachia (4), severe hypoglycorrachia (4) and hydroelectrolytic disturbance (3). One fifth of the patients had CSF syndromes considered sufficient for diagnosis or an immediate clinical decision. The most common clinical data were infective and neurological. There was little correlation between the clinical data and the CSF syndromes. We conclude that in HIV-positive individuals presenting acute consciousness disturbances there are frequently non-specific results in the CSF analysis that must be weighed against a detailed history and thorough physical examination. Taking this into account, in about one fifth of cases the CSF analysis can offer useful information for treatment.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Neurologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brasil.
authors.forename: M S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Batista
authors.forename: R C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Sesso
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: dos Reis-Filho
mesh_terms: D015526:AIDS Dementia Complex / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006679:HIV Seropositivity / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged