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Table 1 Historical, examination, and laboratory findings in patients with cryptococcal meningitis.

From: Low CD4 count plus coma predicts cryptococcal meningitis in Tanzania

 

Cryptococcal meningitis (n = 40)

Other (n = 109)

P

Age (median, range)

41 (14–65)

37 (13–64)

NS

Female sex

45% (18)

45% (49)

NS

History

   

Subjective fever

83% (33)

62% (68)

NS

Subjective wt loss

65% (26)

53% (58)

NS

Confusion

73% (29)

45% (49)

0.003

Vomiting

48% (19)

31% (34)

NS

Social withdrawal

43%(17)

18% (20)

0.004

Seizures

35% (14)

19% (21)

0.05

On antiretroviral therapy

18% (7)

24% (26)

NS

Physical examination

   

Febrile (T >38.0°C)

73% (29)

47% (51)

0.006

Hypertensive (>140/90 mm Hg)

18% (7)

14% (15)

NS

Tachycardia

60% (24)

39% (42)

0.03

Meningismus

43% (18)

23% (28)

0.02

Oral thrush

48% (19)

24% (26)

0.008

Temporal wasting

50% (20)

35% (38)

NS

Abnormal GCS (≤ 14)

73% (29)

29% (32)

<0.0001

Coma (GCS ≤ 8)

50% (20)

16% (17)

<0.0001

Median GCS

8.5

15

<0.0001

Laboratory

   

Leukocytes × 103/μl (median)

6.4 ± 7.1 (5.4)

6.1 ± 5.6 (6)*

NS

Lymphocytes × 103/μl (median)

2.0 ± 1.3 (1.7)

1.9 ± 1.2 (2.0)

NS

CD4 count/μl (median)

49.5 ± 45.2 (39)

190.0 ± 216.4 (89)

<0.0001

CD4 < 100/μl

93% (37)

51% (56)

<0.0001

Haemoglobin g/dl (median)

23.2 ± 29.1 (11.1)

17.9 ± 20.6 (12)*

NS

Platelets × 103/μl (median)

161 ± 88 (141)

179 ± 104 (163)

NS

ESR (median)

87 ± 40 (93)

74 ± 39 (75)

NS

CSF†

   

Pleocytosis % > 2/μl (n)

50% (20)

38% (41)

NS

Leukocytes (#/μl)†

63 ± 90

14 ± 23

0.03

Lymphocytes‡ (%)

53 ± 40

37 ± 34

NS

Neutrophils‡ (%)

47 ± 40

60 ± 34

NS

CSF protein (g/L)†

1.2 ± 2.3

0.7 ± 0.7

NS

CSF glucose (mmol/L)†

2.4 ± 1.3

3.0 ± 1.2

NS

CSF opening pressure (mmHg)

14.2 ± 10.6

9.8 ± 8.6

0.02

Outcome

   

Survival to discharge

50% (20)

80% (87)

0.0008

  1. Data shown are mean ± SD unless otherwise specified.
  2. * no haemoglobin or leukocyte data from 1 other patient
  3. † CSF cell counts, protein, glucose, and opening pressure results compare CM and only those other patients with meningitis, defined as CSF pleocytosis > 2/ml.
  4. ‡ CSF differential data available only from 12 CM and 11 non-CM patients.