Prognostic significance of serum antioxidant parameters in immunocompetent patients with cryptococcal meningitis

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether endogenous antioxidants were prognostic factors in immunocompetent patients with cryptococcal meningitis (CM). The clinical features, alterations of serum albumin, bilirubin, and uric acid (UA) levels before and after six weeks of treatment in 94 immunocompetent patients with CM from January 2000 to December 2010 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients with CM had lower serum albumin and UA levels and higher bilirubin levels before treatment. After six weeks of treatment, the serum bilirubin levels decreased significantly and the serum UA levels increased significantly in 'cured/improved' patients. The serum UA level was negatively correlated with log cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cryptococcal count and positively correlated with the CSF glucose level. A significantly lower level of serum UA was associated with high CSF open pressure, hydrocephalus, brain lesions, and consciousness disturbance. Moreover, the good outcome was 7.779 times more likely to occur in patients with an increase in the serum UA level ≥38.8% after six weeks of treatment. A logistic regression analysis also confirmed that an increase in the serum UA level ≥38.8% after six weeks of treatment was an independent good outcome predictor. Though there were abnormal conditions of serum antioxidants, the variation in the UA level could serve as a potential indicator of therapeutic efficacy in immunocompetent patients with CM.