Table 2 Characteristics and outcomes of participants with positive blood cryptococcal antigen (CrAg)
Identifier | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age | 36–45 | 26–35 | 26–35 | 18–25 | 26–35 | 18–25 | 36–45 | 46–55 |
Sex | Female | Female | Male | Female | Female | Female | Female | Female |
Admission status at enrolment | Inpatient | Inpatient | Inpatient | Inpatient | Inpatient | Outpatient | Inpatient | Outpatient |
CD4 | 23 | 56 | 74 | 12 | 55 | 28 | 0 | 15 |
Time since HIV diagnosis (days) | 7 | 194 | 0 | 234 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 14 |
Antiretroviral therapy (ART) history | ART-naïve | Current ART (tenofovir + lamivudine+ efavirenz) duration 194 days | ART-naïve | Current ART (tenofovir + lamivudine + efavirenz) duration 97 days | ART-naïve | ART-naïve | ART-naïve | ART-naïve |
Neurological symptoms at enrolment | Yes (headache, confusion, nausea) | Yes (headache, confusion, drowsy) | Yes (confusion, decreased conscious level) | No | Yes (headache, diplopia due to 6th nerve palsy) | Yes (mild headache) | Yes (headache, confusion, decreased conscious level, nausea) | Yes (mild headache) |
Meningitic at enrolment | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No | Yes | No |
Glasgow Coma Score at enrolment | 15 | 14 | 10 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 13 | 15 |
Lumbar puncture (LP) performed | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Opening pressure | Raised | Normal | Raised | Normal | Raised | Normal | Raised | Normal |
Cerebrospinal fluid CrAg | Positive | Positive | Negative (repeated; India Ink also negative) | Negative | Positive | Negative | Positive | Positive |
Diagnosis | Cryptococcal meningitis | Cryptococcal meningitis | Cryptococcal antigenaemia; suspected TB meningitis | Cryptococcal antigenaemia | Cryptococcal meningitis | Cryptococcal antigenaemia | Cryptococcal meningitis | Sub-clinical cryptococcal meningitis |
Number of additional therapeutic LPs performed | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
Outcome | Died | Died | Died | Died | Alive | Alive | Died | Alive |
Time of outcome (days after enrolment) | 3 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 20 | |||
Clinical cause of death | Cryptococcal meningitis | Cryptococcal meningitis | TB, suspected TB meningitis | Sudden death, cause unknown. Sputum Xpert MTB-RIF positive. | NA | NA | Cryptococcal meningitis, sepsis | NA |