INTRODUCTION: The symptomatic central nervous system involvement is often seen in patients with miliary tuberculosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we evaluated 60 consecutive miliary tuberculosis patients, who presented with some neurological manifestations. Evaluation included neurological examination, a battery of blood tests, HIV serology, sputum examination, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination along with imaging of the brain and spinal cord. The patients were followed up after completion of 6 months of antituberculous treatment. RESULTS: Patients ranged between 14 and 53 years in age. Three patients tested HIV positive. Forty-eight (80%) patients had tuberculous meningitis. In 12 (20%) patients, the CSF examination was normal. In 27 patients with tuberculous meningitis, neuroimaging revealed intracerebral tuberculoma. Fourteen patients showed multiple tuberculomas, while 7 had a solitary tuberculoma. In six patients, the tuberculomas were small and numerous. In two patients, neuroimaging revealed a spinal tuberculoma. For three patients with tuberculous brain masses, the CSF was normal. Nine (15%) patients presented with myelopathy. Three patients exhibited Pott's paraplegia. Three patients had transverse myelitis (with normal neuroimaging). In three patients, the spinal MRI revealed an intramedullary tuberculoma. On follow-up, 15 (25%) patients expired. Thirty-one (52%) patients showed significant improvement. Eight patients (13%) showed nil or partial recovery. Six of the patients with no improvement developed vision loss. Six (10%) patients were lost to follow up. CONCLUSION: A variety of neurological complications were noted in military tuberculosis patients, tuberculous meningitis and cerebral tuberculomas being the most frequent complications. However, a majority of patients improved following antituberculous treatment.
INTRODUCTION: The symptomatic central nervous system involvement is often seen in patients with miliary tuberculosis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this study, we evaluated 60 consecutive miliary tuberculosispatients, who presented with some neurological manifestations. Evaluation included neurological examination, a battery of blood tests, HIV serology, sputum examination, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examination along with imaging of the brain and spinal cord. The patients were followed up after completion of 6 months of antituberculous treatment. RESULTS:Patients ranged between 14 and 53 years in age. Three patients tested HIV positive. Forty-eight (80%) patients had tuberculous meningitis. In 12 (20%) patients, the CSF examination was normal. In 27 patients with tuberculous meningitis, neuroimaging revealed intracerebral tuberculoma. Fourteen patients showed multiple tuberculomas, while 7 had a solitary tuberculoma. In six patients, the tuberculomas were small and numerous. In two patients, neuroimaging revealed a spinal tuberculoma. For three patients with tuberculous brain masses, the CSF was normal. Nine (15%) patients presented with myelopathy. Three patients exhibited Pott's paraplegia. Three patients had transverse myelitis (with normal neuroimaging). In three patients, the spinal MRI revealed an intramedullary tuberculoma. On follow-up, 15 (25%) patients expired. Thirty-one (52%) patients showed significant improvement. Eight patients (13%) showed nil or partial recovery. Six of the patients with no improvement developed vision loss. Six (10%) patients were lost to follow up. CONCLUSION: A variety of neurological complications were noted in military tuberculosispatients, tuberculous meningitis and cerebral tuberculomas being the most frequent complications. However, a majority of patients improved following antituberculous treatment.
Authors: Vijay Letchuman; Andrew R Guillotte; Paige A Lundy; Anand Dharia; Nelli S Lakis; Paul J Camarata Journal: J Neurosurg Case Lessons Date: 2022-07-04
Authors: Payam Nahid; Susan E Dorman; Narges Alipanah; Pennan M Barry; Jan L Brozek; Adithya Cattamanchi; Lelia H Chaisson; Richard E Chaisson; Charles L Daley; Malgosia Grzemska; Julie M Higashi; Christine S Ho; Philip C Hopewell; Salmaan A Keshavjee; Christian Lienhardt; Richard Menzies; Cynthia Merrifield; Masahiro Narita; Rick O'Brien; Charles A Peloquin; Ann Raftery; Jussi Saukkonen; H Simon Schaaf; Giovanni Sotgiu; Jeffrey R Starke; Giovanni Battista Migliori; Andrew Vernon Journal: Clin Infect Dis Date: 2016-08-10 Impact factor: 9.079