Ventriculoperitoneal shunt is associated with increased cerebrospinal fluid protein level in HIV-infected cryptococcal meningitis patients

Table 2 Changes in clinical symptoms and CSF profiles after 24 weeks in the groups

Factors	VPS group			Non-VPS group
Factors	Baseline-W0 (n = 29)	24 weeks of follow-up (n = 28)	P-value	Baseline-W0 (n = 57)	24 weeks of follow-up (n = 45)	P-value
Cerebrospinal fluid
ICP (mmH₂O)	335.0 (252.5–407.5)	155.0 (120.0–190.0)	0.001	300.0 (195.0–400.0)	200.0 (142.5–290.0)	0.394
Glucose (mmol/L)	2.4 (1.7–3.3)	2.4 (2.2–3.1)	0.868	2.5 (1.9–2.9)	2.8 (2.6–3.4)	0.072
Chlorine (mmol/L)	119.7 ± 5.6	120.2 ± 5.0	0.496	116.4 ± 6.3	121.0 ± 5.8	0.066
Total protein (g/L)	0.6 (0.4–1.0)	1.1 (0.6–1.6)	0.045	0.6 (0.4–0.9)	0.4 (0.3–0.7)	0.14
WBC count (× 10⁶/L)	3.0 (0–20.0)	10 (1.0–30.0)	0.641	10.0 (2.8–34.0)	15.0 (3.0–36.5)	0.433
Cryptococcus neoformans count (/HPF)	3.0 (0.0–27.0)	0 (0–1.0)	0.002	3.0 (0.8–28.5)	0 (0–1.0)	0.003
Clinical manifestations, n (%)
Fever	16 (55.2%)	1 (3.6%)	< 0.001	35 (61.4%)	5 (11.1%)	< 0.001
Headache	21 (72.4%)	7 (25.0%)	< 0.001	38 (66.7%)	6 (13.3%)	< 0.001
Dizziness	7 (24.1%)	0 (0)	0.006	6 (10.5%)	0 (0)	0.025
Seizures	6 (20.7%)	2 (7.1%)	0.141	2 (3.5%)	0 (0)	0.204
Vomiting	13 (44.8%)	2 (7.1%)	0.001	15 (26.3%)	0 (0)	< 0.001
Vision loss	2 (6.9%)	0 (0)	0.157	3 (5.3%)	1 (2.2%)	0.432
Hearing loss	2 (6.9%)	0 (0)	0.157	2 (3.5%)	0 (0)	0.2
Disturbance of consciousness	2 (6.9%)	0 (0)	0.157	7 (12.3%)	0 (0)	0.014

HCM HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis, HPF high-power field, ICP intracranial pressure, VPS ventriculoperitoneal shunt, WBC white blood cell

ISSN: 1471-2334