Table 2 Comparison of baseline characteristics, clinical manifestations, radiological findings, CSF profiles, laboratory findings, and treatment outcomes of tuberculous meningitis between patients with and without immunodeficiency (n = 285)^a

Male, n (%)

87 (70.7)

4 (14.8)

79 (58.5)

< 0.001^*

Age, mean ± SD, years

40.65 ± 10.99

40.15 ± 14.42

47.81 ± 20.84

0.003^*

BMI, mean ± SD, kg/m²

19.74 ± 3.68

20.25 ± 2.59

20.61 ± 3.56

0.282

Previous TB diagnosis, n (%)

42 (34.1)

0 (0.0)

26 (19.3)

< 0.001^*

Other comorbidities, n (%)

123

27

135

DM

3 (2.4)

2 (7.4)

13 (9.6)

0.058

HT

4 (3.3)

5 (18.5)

30 (22.2)

< 0.001^*

Kidney disease

1 (0.8)

2 (7.4)

7 (5.2)

0.048^*

Liver disease

9 (7.3)

1 (3.7)

5 (3.7)

0.400

Heart disease

0 (0.0)

1 (3.7)

8 (5.9)

0.014^*

Lung disease

22 (17.9)

0 (0.0)

11 (8.1)

0.007^*

Cancers in remission

2 (1.6)

1 (3.7)

6 (4.4)

0.389

Others

11 (8.9)

3 (11.1)

20 (14.8)

0.345

The final diagnosis of TBM, n (%)

0.237

Definite

44 (35.8)

12 (44.4)

65 (48.1)

Probable

22 (17.9)

2 (7.4)

17 (12.6)

Possible

57 (46.3)

13 (48.1)

53 (39.3)

Concurrent active non-CNS TB, n (%)

Lung

47 (38.2)

7 (25.9)

44 (32.6)

0.397

Pleura

1 (0.8)

0 (0.0)

1 (0.7)

1.00

Lymph node

15 (12.2)

0 (0.0)

4 (3.0)

0.004^*

Others

5 (4.1)

3 (11.1)

11 (8.1)

0.263

Median onset of symptoms, median (min-max), days

10.0 (1.0-168.0)

14.0 (1.0–84.0)

14.0 (1.0-140.0)

0.297

Clinical manifestations, n (%)

Fever

77 (62.6)

16 (59.3)

83 (61.5)

0.945

Headache

73 (59.3)

16 (59.3)

70 (51.9)

0.447

Vomiting

38 (30.9)

8 (29.6)

48 (35.6)

0.676

Meningeal irritation signs

85 (69.1)

20 (74.1)

86 (63.7)

0.467

Impaired cognitive function

60 (48.8)

15 (55.6)

60 (44.4)

0.525

Seizure

12 (9.8)

4 (14.8)

16 (11.9)

0.716

Hemiparesis

16 (13.0)

3 (11.1)

8 (5.9)

0.145

Paraparesis

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

-

Multi-cranial nerve palsy

3/18 (16.7)

2/4 (50.0)

6/21 (28.6)

0.293

Abnormal movement

3 (2.4)

1 (3.7)

2 (1.5)

0.456

Impaired sensory systems

7 (5.7)

1 (3.7)

4 (3.0)

0.547

Bowel and bladder dysfunctions

6 (4.9)

0 (0.0)

4 (3.0)

0.558

Cerebellar signs

6 (4.9)

0 (0.0)

9 (6.7)

0.355

Abnormal gait

4 (3.3)

1 (3.7)

3 (2.2)

0.659

GCS score, mean ± SD

13.33 ± 2.48

13.70 ± 1.92

13.70 ± 2.32

0.420

Modified BMRC TBM grade III^b, n (%)

18 (14.6)

2 (7.4)

10 (7.4)

0.144

CNS CT or MRI findings, n (%)

Meningeal enhancement

60 (49.2)

10 (38.5)

68 (51.9)

0.455

Hydrocephalus

40 (32.8)

9 (34.6)

43 (32.8)

0.983

Tuberculoma/abscess

11

1

15

Single lesion

1 (9.1)

0 (0.0)

6 (40.0)

0.222

Multiple lesions

10 (90.9)

1 (100.0)

9 (60.0)

Location of tuberculoma/abscess

11

1

15

Grey-white matter junction

8/11 (72.7)

1/1 (100.0)

14/15 (93.3)

0.386

Deep subcortical location

8/11 (72.7)

1/1 (100.0)

4/15 (26.7)

0.030^*

Brainstem

3/11 (27.3)

1/1 (100.0)

4/15 (26.7)

0.450

Cerebellum

2/11 (18.2)

0/1 (0.0)

5/15 (33.3)

0.746

Spinal cord

1/123 (0.8)

0/27 (0.0)

2/135 (1.5)

1.00

Cerebral infarction

47/122 (38.5)

7/26 (26.9)

32/130 (24.6)

0.052

CSF findings

122

27

132

OP, mean ± SD, cmH₂O

21.44 ± 10.13

23.81 ± 9.50

21.77 ± 8.91

0.538

WBC count, median (min-max), cells/mm³

99.50 (0.0-1500)

78.0 (8.0-1311)

140 (2.0-2800)

0.343

%neutrophils, mean ± SD, %

27.09 ± 29.78

43.36 ± 34.94

24.26 ± 26.72

0.042^*

%lymphocytes, median (min-max), %

79.0 (0-100)

46.0 (7.0-100)

83.0 (1.0-100)

0.018^*

Protein, median (min-max), mg/dL

187 (20-5877)

168 (42–499)

174.5 (40.3–4482)

0.836

Glucose, median (min-max), mg/dL

37 (2-122)

27 (4.3–88)

36 (1-141)

0.304

CSF to plasma glucose ratio, median (min-

max)

0.30 (0.02–0.84)

0.25 (0.04–0.50)

0.32 (0.1–0.78)

0.343

AFB positive, n (%)

4/122 (3.3)

0/27 (0.0)

4/132 (3.0)

1.00

Direct PCR MTB positive, n (%)

19/122 (15.6)

10/27 (37.0)

16/132 (12.1)

0.006^*

MTB culture positive, n (%)

44/122 (36.1)

7/27 (25.9)

57/132 (43.2)

0.189

CNS tissue pathology examination, n (%)

4

0

10

AFB positive

1/4 (25.0)

0 (0.0)

3/10 (30.0)

1.00

Direct PCR MTB positive

0/3 (0.0)

0 (0.0)

4/9 (44.4)

0.491

MTB culture positive

3/3 (100.0)

0 (0.0)

3/9 (33.3)

0.182

Initial laboratory testing

Hb, mean ± SD, g/dL

10.83 ± 2.32

10.77 ± 1.92

12.02 ± 2.02

< 0.001^*

Hct, mean ± SD, percent

32.86 ± 6.73

33.17 ± 6.24

36.43 ± 5.68

< 0.001^*

WBC count, median (min-max), cells/mm³

6900

(1140–28,290)

6520

(900-13990)

8980

(3860–39,950)

< 0.001

%neutrophils, mean ± SD, %

70.93 ± 16.88

74.06 ± 16.24

76.28 ± 12.15

0.020^*

%lymphocytes, median (min-max), %

14.0 (1.0–60.0)

14.0 (0.0–60.0)

12.0 (2.3–83.0)

0.129

BUN, median (min-max), mg/dL

13.8 (0.8–136.0)

13.8 (2.7–80.7)

12.9 (2.2–95.0)

0.994

Cr, median (min-max), mg/dL

0.8 (0.3–5.1)

0.8 (0.4–2.5)

0.7 (0.3–9.3)

0.484

AST, median (min-max), U/L

36.0 (12.0-1056)

27.0 (11.0-226)

24.0 (9.0-279.0)

0.003^*

ALT, median (min-max), U/L

25.0 (4.0-516.0)

18.0 (4.0–75.0)

23.0 (2.0-788.0)

0.043^*

ALP, median (min-max), IU/L

86.0 (25.0-706.0)

84.0 (45.0-340.0)

75.0 (25.0-428.0)

0.097

Albumin, mean ± SD, g/dL

3.31 ± 0.69

3.09 ± 0.59

3.53 ± 0.66

0.002^*

Sodium level, mean ± SD, mmol/L

130.77 ± 6.55

133.48 ± 5.15

131.62 ± 7.01

0.147

Anti-TB drug susceptibility testing^c, n (%)

0.172

Performed

46 (37.4)

9 (33.3)

64 (47.4)

Not performed

77 (62.6)

18 (66.7)

71 (52.6)

Fully susceptible

32/46 (69.6)

6/9 (66.7)

55/64 (85.9)

0.084

Isoniazid monoresistance

6/46 (13.0)

2/9 (22.2)

3/64 (4.7)

0.099

Rifampin monoresistance

1/46 (2.2)

0/9 (0.0)

1/64 (1.6)

1.00

Pyrazinamide monoresistance

1/46 (2.2)

0/9 (0.0)

4/64 (6.2)

0.596

Multidrug resistance

5/46 (10.9)

0/9 (0.0)

0/64 (0.0)

0.013

Initial anti-TB treatment, n (%)

0.520

Standard combination regimen^d

93 (75.6)

18 (66.7)

104 (77.0)

Alternative or modified regimen^e

30 (24.4)

9 (33.3)

31 (23.0)

Adjunctive corticosteroid therapy, n (%)

65 (52.8)

22 (81.5)

101 (74.8)

< 0.001^*

Surgical interventions, n (%)

123

27

135

Temporary ventriculostomy

2 (1.6)

4 (14.8)

11 (8.1)

0.011^*

Ventriculoperitoneal shunt

0 (0.0)

1 (3.7)

1 (0.7)

0.181

Outcomes at the end of treatment, n (%)

123

27

135

Death

28 (22.8)

8 (29.6)

20 (14.8)

< 0.001^*

Cure

13 (10.6)

7 (25.9)

31 (23.0)

Improvement

34 (27.6)

8 (29.6)

48 (35.6)

Failure

3 (2.4)

0 (0.0)

6 (4.4)

Default

0 (0.0)

2 (7.4)

2 (1.5)

Unknown

45 (36.6)

2 (7.4)

28 (20.7)

Treatment outcomes, n (%)

78

25

107

Favorable

47 (60.3)

15 (60.0)

79 (73.8)

0.109

Unfavorable

31 (39.7)

10 (40.0)

28 (26.2)