title: Clinical case series of nine patients with tuberculousmeningitis in the Clinical Centre of Vojvodina, Novi Sad, AP Vojvodina, Serbia 2001-2010.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine immediate risk factors of developing tuberculous meningitis, to assess the practical importance of clinical signs and findings in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) when opting for the specific therapy, and to predict the outcome of disease in relation to the beginning of treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective clinical case series of nine patients with tuberculous meningitis who were treated from April 2001 until November 2010 at the Department of Infectious Diseases in Novi Sad, Serbia was presented. Data of patients' medical records and presentation of clinical and laboratory features, neuroradiologicalfindings and outcome were used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The factors of immediate risk/predisposition for the development of tuberculous meningitis were found in two (22.2%) patients. The duration of symptoms prior to admission was 9 days on average (from 3 to 20 days). The most frequent symptoms on admission were headache and fever in eight (88.9%) patients, whereas two patients (22.2%) were presented with stiff neck and photophobia. Consciousness was preserved in six patients (66.7%), two patients were somnolent and one was in coma. Two(22.2%) patients had concurrent pulmonary tuberculosis. Neuroradiological signs of the disease were present in two patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The duration of symptoms before admission, clinical examination and CSF analysis can be helpful in identifying patients who are at high risk of developing tuberculous meningitis.
authors.affiliation: 1School of Medicine, University of Novi Sad, 2Department of Infectious Diseases, Clinical Centre of Vojvodina,3Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, 4Provincial Institute of Sports Medicine and Sports; Novi Sad, Serbia.
authors.forename: Radoslav
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Doder
authors.forename: Grozdana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Čanak
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stefan Mikić
authors.forename: Siniša
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sević
authors.forename: Aleksandar
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Potkonjak
authors.forename: Dragan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Doder
authors.forename: Vuk
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vračar
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000995:Antitubercular Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009169:Mycobacterium tuberculosis / Q000302:isolation & purification; D009485:Neuroradiography / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014390:Tuberculosis, Meningeal / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology
chemical_list: D000995:Antitubercular Agents