[Tuberculous meningitis in adults. Prognostic factors]

Clinical and biochemical data likely to constitute prognostic factors were investigated in a retrospective study of 32 cases of tuberculous meningitis. Age appeared to be a much more important factor than the initial clinical severity of the disease and the delay of treatment. Over the age of 50 years, the mortality rate was doubled. There was no correlation between age and initial severity of the clinical picture. The number of cells and level of glucose in the CSF on admission were of no prognostic significance. CSF protein levels were higher in patients who died or developed complications than in those who made an uneventful recovery (p less than 0.05). The time required for temperature and CSF protein and glucose levels to return to normal had no prognostic value. An unfavourable or complicated course should be feared when CSF protein levels are higher than 7 g/l and in the presence of persistently low CSF glucose levels.