title: Preliminary report of directly observed treatment, short course in tuberculous meningitis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is a challenge because of the manifold clinical presentation, and diagnosis is often delayed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We wanted to share our experience of directly observed treatment short course (DOTS) in TBM. We did a retrospective analysis to look at the presentation, management and outcome of TBM patients from November 2006 to April 2008.
  
  
  METHODS
  TBM was diagnosed based on clinical criteria. We excluded patients with HIV.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We had 11 patients on DOTS regime. One died following hepatitis and another patient died of unrelated gastroenteritis. The only patient on daily regime died. Our patients generally presented late, at a median duration 20 days from onset of symptoms, and 50% had stage 3 disease at presentation. The median delay in diagnosis was 4.5 days.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found DOTS to be effective in TBM but not without side effects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, India.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iype
authors.forename: Sinchu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chacko
authors.forename: Sivadasan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Raghavan
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mathew
authors.forename: Madhusudanan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mohan