title: [Clinical aspects and management of patients with tuberculous meningitis. Retrospective analysis from 1994 to 2005].
abstract: Tuberculous meningitis remains a devastating disease with poor prognosis in terms of mortality or invalidating after-effects. Eighteen cases of tuberculous meningitis, occurred between 1994 and 2005, were re-examined retrospectively. Among the 18 patients, 13 were aged from 14 to 64 years, and 5 were older than 64. There was no gender dominance. Factors of risk were identified in 7 patients. British Medical Research Council staging was III in 9 patients, II in 2 patients and I in 7 patients. Protein and glucose levels in the cerebrospinal fluid sample were very variable ranging from 0.4 to 10.7 g/L and 0.4 to 3.7 mmol/L respectively. The cellular reaction was also very variable ranging from 0 to 250 elements, mostly lymphocytes. Antituberculous treatment was given to 15 patients, associated with corticosteroid therapy for 9 patients. Among the 18 patients, 11 died within 1 year, 4 were treated for a recurrence occurring up to 6 years after the diagnosis, 1 presented important neuropsychic after-effects and 2 patients survived without after-effects with a time ranging between 6 months and 1 year. The deceased patients were significantly older than the others. The risk of mortality was 4.5-fold greater among stage III patients than among stage I and II patients. The use of corticosteroids significantly reduced the risk of death.
authors.affiliation: Service de Bactériologie-Hygiène, CHU Hôtel-Dieu, 44093 Nantes Cedex 1.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bémer
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Boutoille
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lepelletier
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chamoux
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Guitton
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Drugeon
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014390:Tuberculosis, Meningeal / Q000145:classification / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality*
chemical_list: D000305:Adrenal Cortex Hormones; D000995:Antitubercular Agents