Tuberculous meningitis in children: Clinical management & outcome

Efficacy and safety of intrathecal dexamethasone combined with isoniazid in the treatment of tuberculous meningitis: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

The treatment regimen for tuberculous meningitis (TBM) remains unclear and requires optimization. There are some reports on successful adjunct intrathecal dexamethasone and isoniazid (IDI) treatment strategies for TBM, however, there is equivocal evidence on their efficacy and safety.

METHODS

A comprehensive search of English and Chinese databases was conducted from inception to February 2024. A meta-analysis was performed on randomized controlled trials (RCTs) estimating the effects of adjunct IDI on conventional anti-TB (C anti-TB) treatments or C anti-TB alone. Efficacy, adverse reaction rate, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leukocytes, and CSF protein were used as primary outcome indicators. CSF glucose, CSF chlorides, CSF pressure, recovery time for laboratory indicators and recovery time for clinical symptoms were used as secondary outcome indicators.

RESULTS

A total of 17 studies involving 1360 (IDI group vs. C anti-TB group: 392 vs. 372; higher-dose IDI group vs. lower-dose IDI group: 319 vs. 277) patients were included in our analysis. Efficacy was significantly higher (RR 1.3, 95% CI 1.2-1.4, P < 0.001) and adverse reaction rate was significantly lower in the IDI groups (RR 0.59, 95% CI 0.37-0.92, P = 0.021). Furthermore, CSF leukocytes (WMD - 29.33, 95% CI [- 40.64 to-18.02], P < 0.001) and CSF protein (WMD - 0.79, 95%CI [-0.96 to-0.61], P < 0.001) were significantly lower in the IDI groups. Recovery time indicators were all shorter in the IDI groups, fever (SMD - 2.45, 95% CI [-3.55 to-1.35], P < 0.001), coma (SMD-3.75, 95% CI [-4.33 to-3.17], P < 0.001), and headache (SMD  - 3.06, 95% CI [- 4.05 to-2.07], P < 0.001), respectively. Higher-dose IDI was more effective than lower-dose IDI (RR 1.23, 95% CI 1.14-1.33, P < 0.001), with no significant difference in adverse reaction rate between the two (RR 0.82, 95%CI 0.43-1.56, P = 0.544).

CONCLUSION

Adjunct IDI with C anti-TB can enhance therapeutic outcomes and reduce adverse reaction rate in adult TBM patients, with higher-dose IDI showing superior efficacy. These findings highlight the potential of IDI as an adjunctive therapy in TBM management. However, more high-quality RCTs from more regions should be conducted to support our results.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Retrospectively registered in PROSPERO  https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023388860 .

Patient characteristics and predictors of mortality among children hospitalised with tuberculosis: A six-year case series study in Uganda

BACKGROUND

The high case-fatality rates among children with tuberculosis (TB) are reportedly driven by in-hospital mortality and severe forms of TB. Therefore, there is need to better understand the predictors of mortality among children hospitalised with TB. We examined the patient clinical profiles, length of hospital stay from date of admission to date of final admission outcome, and predictors of mortality among children hospitalised with TB at two tertiary hospitals in Uganda.

METHODS

We conducted a case-series study of children below 15 years of age hospitalised with TB, from January 1st, 2016, to December 31st, 2021. Convenience sampling was done to select TB cases from paper-based medical records at Mulago National Referral Hospital (MNRH) in urban Kampala, and Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital (FRRH) in rural Fort Portal. We fitted linear and logistic regression models with length of stay and in-hospital mortality as key outcomes.

RESULTS

Out of the 201 children hospitalised with TB, 50 were at FRRH, and 151 at MNRH. The male to female ratio was 1.5 with median age of 2.6 years (Interquartile range-IQR 1-6). There was a high prevalence of HIV (67/171, 39%), severe malnutrition reported as weight-for-age Z-score <-3SD (51/168, 30%). Among children with pulmonary TB who initiated anti-tuberculosis therapy (ATT) either during hospitalisation or within seven days prior to hospitalisation; cough (134/143, 94%), fever (111/143, 78%), and dyspnoea (78/143, 55%) were common symptoms. Children with TB meningitis commonly presented with fever (17/24, 71%), convulsions (14/24 58%), and cough (13/24, 54%). The median length of hospital stay was 8 days (IQR 5-15). Of the 199 children with known in-hospital outcomes, 34 (17.1%) died during hospitalisation. TB meningitis was associated with in-hospital mortality (aOR = 3.50, 95% CI = 1.10-11.17, p = 0.035), while male sex was associated with reduced mortality (aOR = 0.33, 95% CI = 0.12-0.95, p = 0.035). Hospitalisation in the urban hospital predicted a 0.48-day increase in natural log-transformed length of hospital stay (ln-length of stay) (95% CI 0.15-0.82, p = 0.005), but not age, sex, HIV, malnutrition, or TB meningitis.

CONCLUSIONS

In-hospital mortality was high, and significantly driven almost four times higher by TB meningitis, with longer hospital stay among children in urban hospitals. The high in-hospital mortality and long hospital stay may be reduced by timely TB diagnosis and treatment initiation among children.

Dancing Out of Step: A Case of Tuberculous Meningitis Presenting as Childhood Chorea

Background

Acute to subacute pediatric movement disorders require prompt diagnosis to identify potentially treatable diseases.

Case Report

We present a 6-year-old male with a three-week history of generalized chorea transitioning to predominantly right-sided hemichorea and then to left hemiplegia.

Discussion

We review the mechanisms in tuberculous meningitis underlying his movement abnormalities.

Pediatric and adult meningeal, parenchymal, and spinal tuberculosis: A neuroimaging review

Neurotuberculosis is defined as a tuberculous infection of the meninges, brain parenchyma, vessels, cranial and spinal nerves, spinal cord, skull, and spine that can occur either in a localized or in a diffuse form. It is a heterogeneous disease characterized by many imaging appearances and it has been defined as "the great mimicker" due to similarities with many other conditions. The diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) tuberculosis (TB) is based on clinical presentation, neuroimaging findings, laboratory and microbiological findings, and comprehensive evaluation of the response to anti-TB drug treatment. However, the absence of specific symptoms, the wide spectrum of neurological manifestations, the myriad of imaging findings, possible inconclusive laboratory results, and the paradoxical reaction to treatment make the diagnosis often challenging and difficult, potentially delaying adequate treatment with possible devastating short-term and long-term neurologic sequelae. Familiarity with the imaging characteristics helps in accurate diagnosis and may prevent or limit significantly morbidity and mortality. The goal of this review is to provide a comprehensive up-to-date overview of the conventional and advanced imaging features of CNS TB for radiologists, neuroradiologists, and pediatric radiologists. We discuss the most typical neurotuberculosis imaging findings and their differential diagnosis in children and adults with the goal to provide a global overview of this entity.

Development of clinical-based scoring system to diagnose tuberculous meningitis in children

OBJECTIVE

Diagnosing tuberculous meningitis (TBM) in children is challenging due to the low sensitivity with time delay of bacterial culture techniques and the lack of brain imaging facilities in many low- and middle-income settings. This study aims to establish and test a scoring system consisting of clinical manifestations on history and examination for diagnosing TBM in children.

DESIGN

A retrospective study was conducted using a diagnostic multivariable prediction model.

PARTICIPANTS

167 children diagnosed with meningitis (tuberculous, bacterial, viral and others) aged 3 months to 18 years who were hospitalised from July 2011 until November 2021 in a national tertiary hospital in Indonesia.

RESULTS

Eight out of the 10 statistically significant clinical characteristics were used to develop a predictive model. These resulted in good discrimination and calibration variables, which divided into systemic features with a cut-off score of ≥3 (sensitivity 78.8%; specificity 86.6%; the area under the curve (AUC) value 0.89 (95% CI 0.85 to 0.95; p<0.001)) and neurological features with a cut-off score of ≥2 (sensitivity 61.2%; specificity 75.2%; the AUC value 0.73 (95% CI 0.66 to 0.81; p<0.001)). Combined together, this scoring system predicted the diagnosis of TBM with a sensitivity, specificity and positive predictive value of 47.1%, 95.1% and 90.9%, respectively.

CONCLUSION

The clinical scoring system consisting of systemic and neurological features can be used to predict the diagnosis of TBM in children with limited resource setting. The scoring system should be assessed in a prospective cohort.

Diagnostic performance of real time PCR for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in cerebrospinal fluid samples

PURPOSE

We aimed this study to standardize real time - polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for the detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples and compare its diagnostic performance with GeneXpert (Xpert), Mycobacteria Growth Indicator Tube (MGIT) and Multiplex PCR (MPCR) for tuberculous meningitis (TBM).

METHODOLOGY

A total of 217 CSF samples were obtained from patients with suspected TBM during the study period between January 2019 and December 2021. The optimal cycle threshold (CT) of RT-PCR was determined by comparing different gene targets of Mtb (IS6110, 16SrRNA, HSP65 and Ag85B). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) was determined for RT-PCR, Xpert, MGIT960 and MPCR. Diagnostic accuracy of these assays was compared by using clinical diagnosis as reference standard.

RESULTS

IS6110RT-PCR was found to be highly sensitive as compared to other gene targets. Sensitivities of IS6110RT-PCR, MPCR, Xpert and MGIT against a reference standard of definite, probable and possible TBM were 36.7%, 21.1%, 16.7% and 6.7%, respectively; specificities were 97.6%, 100%, 100% and 100%, respectively. Xpert, RT-PCR, MPCR and MGIT960 detected 6.91% (n = 15), 5.99% (n = 13), 5.99% (n = 13) and 2.76% (n = 6) of definite TBM, respectively. RT-PCR detected 6.45% (n = 14) and 2.76% (n = 6) of possible TBM and probable TBM, respectively and MPCR detected 1.38% (n = 3) of possible and probable TBM each.

CONCLUSION

IS6110RT-PCR is highly sensitive for primary screening of suspected TB cases, which may help clinicians to start appropriate patient's treatment with clinical suspicion of TBM.

Pediatric Neurotuberculosis: A cases series and review of the literature

Neurotuberculosis or central nervous system tuberculosis is a form of tuberculous infection that affects any part of the nervous system. Although it is more frequent in adults, pediatric cases have been reported in endemic countries and it is potentially a deadly affection. Therefore, any unusual neurological manifestation in a formerly healthy child, independently of their vaccination status, must bring suspicion of CNS tuberculosis among other diagnoses. We report four cases of pediatric neurotuberculosis with various clinical presentations and outcome and a brief review of the litterature. We conclude that clinical manifestations of pediatric neurotuberculosis are extremely variable and could be misleading. Extra-neurological sites are a key element for diagnosis especially in the pediatric population. A diagnosis and clinical outcome score, especially designed for children might help personalize the therapeutic approach and outcome measures.

Development and Validation of a Prognostic Model and Bedside Score for the Neurological Outcome in Children with Tuberculous Meningitis

Only a few studies have explored prognostic factors for tuberculous meningitis (TBM) in children, and an easily applicable bedside prognostic score for TBM has not been developed yet. We compared the sociodemographic, clinical, radiological, and cerebrospinal fluid parameters in the cohort of 94 TBM cases aged 1 to 18 years, with at least 6 months of completed follow-up and determined the prognostic factors associated with poor functional outcome. We assessed our proposed prognostic model using both discrimination and calibration and subsequently used the bootstrap method to validate the model internally. We finally derived an easily applicable bedside prognostic score by rounding off the regression coefficients to the nearest integers. A total of 39 (41%) and 55 (59%) patients had poor and good functional outcomes, respectively, at the end of 6 months (12 died, 13%). In multivariate analysis, a high baseline Pediatric Cerebral Performance Category (PCPC) score, brain infarction in neuroimaging, tonic motor posturing, younger age, and stage III TBM were independent predictors of poor functional outcomes. The final model showed good discrimination (area under the curve = 88.2%, P < 0.001) and good calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow test, P = 0.53). Bootstrapping also confirmed the internal validity of this model. The PITAS (PCPC score [P], brain infarction in neuroimaging [I], tonic motor posturing [T], age [A], and stage of TBM [S]) score developed from this model has a score ranging from 0 to 12, with a higher score predicting a higher risk of poor functional outcome. The PITAS score performed better than medical research council staging alone in predicting poor functional outcomes (area under the curve = 87.1% versus 82.3%). Our study's PITAS score, developed and internally validated, has good sensitivity and specificity in predicting poor functional outcomes in pediatric TBM cases at 6 months.

Basic Analysis of the Cerebrospinal Fluid: An Important Framework for Laboratory Diagnostics of the Impairment of the Central Nervous System

Laboratory analysis of basic cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) parameters is considered as essential for any CSF evaluation. It can provide rapidly very valuable information about the status of the central nervous system (CNS). Our retrospective study evaluated parameters of basic CSF analysis in cases of either infectious or non-infectious CNS involvement. Neutrophils are effector cells of innate immunity. Predominance of neutrophils was found in 98.2% of patients with purulent inflammation in CNS. Lymphocytes are cellular substrate of adaptive immunity. We found their predominance in 94.8% of patients with multiple sclerosis (MS), 66.7% of patients with tick-borne encephalitis (TBE), 92.2% of patients with neuroborreliosis, 83.3% of patients with inflammatory response with oxidative burst of macrophages in CNS and 75.0% of patients with malignant infiltration of meninges (MIM). The simultaneous assessment of aerobic and anaerobic metabolism in CSF using the coefficient of energy balance (KEB) allows us to specify the type of inflammation in CNS. We found predominantly aerobic metabolism (KEB > 28.0) in 100.0% CSF of patients with normal CSF findings and in 92.8% CSF of patients with MS. Predominant faintly anaerobic metabolism (28.0 > KEB > 20.0) in CSF was found in 71.8% patients with TBE and in 64.7% patients with neuroborreliosis. Strong anaerobic metabolism (KEB < 10.0) was found in the CSF of 99.1% patients with purulent inflammation, 100.0% patients with inflammatory response with oxidative burst of macrophages and in 80.6% patients with MIM. Joint evaluation of basic CSF parameters provides sufficient information about the immune response in the CSF compartment for rapid and reliable diagnosis of CNS involvement.

Treatment outcomes and risk factors of death in childhood tuberculous meningitis in Kandahar, Afghanistan: a prospective observational cohort study

BACKGROUND

Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is the most severe form of TB. We prospectively documented the treatment outcomes and the risk factors for death in children with TBM from Kandahar, Afghanistan.

METHODS

This prospective observational cohort study was conducted from February 2017 to January 2020 in hospitalised TBM children. All the patients were prospectively followed up for 12 mo. Data were analysed by using descriptive statistics, χ2 and multivariate logistic regression.

RESULTS

A total of 818 TBM hospitalised patients with median age 4.8 (0.8-14.5) y were recruited. Females accounted for 60.9% (498/818). Upon admission 53.9% (n=441) and 15.2% (n=124) had TBM stages II and III, respectively, and 23.2% (n=190) had focal neurological signs. The case fatality rate was 20.2% (160/794) and 30.6% (243/794) survived with neurological sequelae. Independent risk factors for death were being unvaccinated for BCG (adjusted OR [AOR] 3.8, 95% CI 1.8 to 8.1), not receiving dexamethasone (AOR 2.5, 95% CI 1.5 to 4.2), being male (AOR 2.3, 95% CI 1.5 to 3.6), history of recent weight loss (AOR 2.2, 95% CI 1.3 to 3.9) and having stage III TBM (AOR 2.0, 95% CI 1.2 to 3.3).

CONCLUSIONS

TBM continues to cause high morbidity and mortality in Afghan children. Strategies to reduce mortality should emphasise early diagnosis and treatment, routine use of dexamethasone and increased BCG vaccination.

Tuberculous Meningitis in Children: Treatment Outcomes at Discharge and Its Associated Factors in Eastern Ethiopia: A Five Years Retrospective Study

Background

Tuberculous meningitis is a serious public health problem, particularly in low-income countries. It is associated with high rates of mortality and morbidity. The outcome of tuberculous meningitis in children is not well documented in Ethiopia, particularly in eastern Ethiopia. This study aimed to determine the treatment outcomes of tuberculous meningitis at discharge and its associated factors in eastern Ethiopia.

Methods

An institutional-based retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 121 children who were admitted and treated for tuberculous meningitis between January 2017 and December 2021. Data were collected using a pretested checklist, coded and entered into EpiData version 3.1, and analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Factors associated with treatment outcomes were identified using multivariable logistic regression analyses. The association was described using the adjusted odds ratio (AOR) at a 95% confidence interval (CI). Finally, statistical significance was set at a p-value <0.05.

Results

Of the 121 medical records of children, 33.9% (95% CI:25-42%) died. Among the survivors, 28.1% were discharged with neurological sequelae and the remains (38.0%) were discharged with normal outcomes. In multivariable analyses, nutritional status (AOR=2.87; 95% CI:1.04-7.94), duration of illness (AOR = 0.33; 95% CI: 0.15-0.86), hydrocephalus (AOR=3.78; 95% CI:1.08-13.34), and stage-III Tuberculous Meningitis (AOR = 5.29; 95% CI:1.88-14.84) were identified as significantly associated factors with poor clinical outcomes.

Conclusion

The treatment outcomes for tuberculous meningitis in children are unfavorable. Two-thirds of children had poor treatment outcomes. Malnutrition, disease stage, hydrocephalus, and illness duration were associated with poor treatment outcomes at discharge. Health workers in primary health care should be aware of the importance of early screening, diagnosis, and treatment to improve clinical outcomes and reduce associated mortality and disability. In practice, more attention should be paid to children with malnutrition and hydrocephalus.

Congenital tuberculosis with tuberculous meningitis and situs inversus totalis: A case report

BACKGROUND

Congenital tuberculosis (TB), tuberculous meningitis, and situs inversus totalis are rare diseases. We here report a patient who simultaneously suffered from these three rare diseases. There is currently no such report in the literature. Congenital TB is easily misdiagnosed and has a high case fatality rate. Timely anti-TB treatment is required.

CASE SUMMARY

A 19-day-old male newborn was admitted to hospital due to a fever for 6 h. His blood tests and chest X-rays suggested infection, and he was initially considered to have neonatal pneumonia and sepsis. He did not respond to conventional anti-infective treatment. Finally, Mycobacterium tuberculosis was found in sputum lavage fluid on the 10^th day after admission. In addition, the mother's tuberculin skin test was positive, with an induration of 22 mm, and her pelvic computed tomography scan suggested the possibility of tuberculous pelvic inflammatory disease. The child was diagnosed with congenital TB and immediately managed with anti-TB therapy and symptomatic supportive treatment. However, the infant's condition gradually worsened and he developed severe tuberculous pneumonia and tuberculous meningitis, and eventually died of respiratory failure.

CONCLUSION

If conventional anti-infective treatment is ineffective in neonatal pneumonia, anti-TB treatment should be considered.

Predictors of outcomes in children with Central Nervous System tuberculosis

BACKGROUND

Central Nervous system tuberculosis (CNS-Tb) is the most lethal form of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis in children. The lack of markers of outcome provides little information on the efficacy of the current treatment protocols for CNS-Tb and thus results in a higher mortality rate than other extrapulmonary manifestations of tuberculosis. This study aims to identify significant factors that will reliably predict the outcomes at discharge in children admitted with CNS-Tb.

METHODS AND MATERIAL

This is a prospective observational study in children with neurotuberculosis admitted at a tertiary care hospital. Clinical presentations at the time of admission were studied. Outcomes at the end of in-patient care (completely cured, survival with some/severe disability or death) were correlated with clinical, laboratory, microbiological, and radiological parameters. Univariate and multivariate analyses were applied to study the parameters and a p-value ≤ 0.05 with a confidence interval (CI) of 95% was considered as statistically significant.

FINDINGS

The study included 100 children between 4 months and 12 years of age with a mean of 5.84 (±3.5) years. At discharge, 55% of children recovered completely, 20% had some or severe disability and 25% died. On multivariate analysis, high CSF protein (p = 0.050) and drug resistance (p = 0.034) were highly associated with fatality. Meningeal enhancements with basal exudates (p = 0.021) and CSF lymphocyte count >90% were highly associated with survival with disability. Stage I disease at presentation (p < 0.0001) was the only variable associated with complete recovery.

INTERPRETATION

Reliable prognostic markers for CNS-Tb can aid in predicting the efficacy of the current treatment and the anticipated outcome in the children with this disease.

FUNDING

This research did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Performance of Xpert® MTB/RIF and Xpert® Ultra for the diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis in children

OBJECTIVE: To assess Xpert^® MTB/RIF (Xpert) and Xpert^® MTB/RIF Ultra (Ultra) performance in diagnosing pediatric tuberculous meningitis (TBM).METHODS: We conducted a study among children with suspected meningoencephalitis in Pune, India. Clinical, radiological, laboratory, and treatment data were analyzed to classify disease as definite, probable, possible or no TBM, using microbiologic or composite reference standards. We tested cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) either using Xpert or Ultra and estimated test performance characteristics.RESULTS: Of 341 participants, 149 (43.7%) were tested using Ultra and 192 (56.3%) with Xpert. Ultra had higher sensitivity (50% vs. 18%), lower specificity (91% vs. 99%), poor positive predictive value (PPV) (13% vs. 75%), and higher negative predictive value (NPV) (99% vs. 93%) than Xpert using the composite reference standard, with similar results by the microbiologic reference standard. Of 10 participants with trace positivity on Ultra, none met clinical TBM definitions.CONCLUSION: This is the first study to report on diagnostic performance of Ultra in pediatric TBM, which showed higher sensitivity and NPV than Xpert. For children presenting with nonspecific clinical features, Ultra is a promising diagnostic test. Further studies are required to define its optimal clinical use, including interpretation of trace positive results.

Tuberculous Granuloma: Emerging Insights From Proteomics and Metabolomics

Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, which claims hundreds of thousands of lives each year, is typically characterized by the formation of tuberculous granulomas — the histopathological hallmark of tuberculosis (TB). Our knowledge of granulomas, which comprise a biologically diverse body of pro- and anti-inflammatory cells from the host immune responses, is based mainly upon examination of lungs, in both human and animal studies, but little on their counterparts from other organs of the TB patient such as the brain. The biological heterogeneity of TB granulomas has led to their diverse, relatively uncoordinated, categorization, which is summarized here. However, there is a pressing need to elucidate more fully the phenotype of the granulomas from infected patients. Newly emerging studies at the protein (proteomics) and metabolite (metabolomics) levels have the potential to achieve this. In this review we summarize the diverse nature of TB granulomas based upon the literature, and amplify these accounts by reporting on the relatively few, emerging proteomics and metabolomics studies on TB granulomas. Metabolites (for example, trimethylamine-oxide) and proteins (such as the peptide PKAp) associated with TB granulomas, and knowledge of their localizations, help us to understand the resultant phenotype. Nevertheless, more multidisciplinary ‘omics studies, especially in human subjects, are required to contribute toward ushering in a new era of understanding of TB granulomas – both at the site of infection, and on a systemic level.

Randomized Clinical Trial of High-Dose Rifampicin With or Without Levofloxacin Versus Standard of Care for Pediatric Tuberculous Meningitis: The TBM-KIDS Trial

BACKGROUND

Pediatric tuberculous meningitis (TBM) commonly causes death or disability. In adults, high-dose rifampicin may reduce mortality. The role of fluoroquinolones remains unclear. There have been no antimicrobial treatment trials for pediatric TBM.

METHODS

TBM-KIDS was a phase 2 open-label randomized trial among children with TBM in India and Malawi. Participants received isoniazid and pyrazinamide plus: (i) high-dose rifampicin (30 mg/kg) and ethambutol (R30HZE, arm 1); (ii) high-dose rifampicin and levofloxacin (R30HZL, arm 2); or (iii) standard-dose rifampicin and ethambutol (R15HZE, arm 3) for 8 weeks, followed by 10 months of standard treatment. Functional and neurocognitive outcomes were measured longitudinally using Modified Rankin Scale (MRS) and Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL).

RESULTS

Of 2487 children prescreened, 79 were screened and 37 enrolled. Median age was 72 months; 49%, 43%, and 8% had stage I, II, and III disease, respectively. Grade 3 or higher adverse events occurred in 58%, 55%, and 36% of children in arms 1, 2, and 3, with 1 death (arm 1) and 6 early treatment discontinuations (4 in arm 1, 1 each in arms 2 and 3). By week 8, all children recovered to MRS score of 0 or 1. Average MSEL scores were significantly better in arm 1 than arm 3 in fine motor, receptive language, and expressive language domains (P < .01).

CONCLUSIONS

In a pediatric TBM trial, functional outcomes were excellent overall. The trend toward higher frequency of adverse events but better neurocognitive outcomes in children receiving high-dose rifampicin requires confirmation in a larger trial.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION

NCT02958709.

Tuberculous meningitis during infancy: 26 cases in South Turkey among 20 years

BACKGROUND

Due to the lack of a standard case definifion and the diffuculty in estabilishing a definitive diagnsos, TB in children needs increasing attention by physicians caring for pediatric patients. Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is the most serious form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis that is associated with significant morbidity and mortality rate in the pediatric age group, especially in infants. This descriptive study was conducted in an University hospital, at the South of Turkey, from May 1999 to May 2019.

METHODS

The hospital records of 26 TBM infant that was diagnosed at our hospital were retrospectively evaluated. The epidemiological findings (age, gender, family history of TB, tuberculin skin test results, status of BCG scaring), stage of TBM at admission and clinical, laboratory and radiological features were collected.

RESULTS

Of the 26 infants, 61.5% were male and mean age of the patients was 7,65±2,6 (range, 3-12 months). The history of close contact with an infected adult was encountered in 73.1% (19 infant) of the cases. Only 69.2% of the patients (18 case) had a BCG scar. The prodromal stage (period between the onset of symptoms to hospital admission) ranged from 4 days to 180 days (39±51.3). 2 cases were defined as stage I, 10 cases as stage II and 14 cases as stage III TBM. Only two patients were initially positive for PPD test. While no neurological findings were found in 2 patients (diagnosed as stage I), neurologic findings at the time of admission included increased intracranial pressure; alteration in consciousness (92.3%), seizures (88.4%), vomiting (61.5%) cranial nerve palsy (23%), irritability 19.2%, hemiplegia 15.3% and meningeal signs (7%, only 2 patients). The presence of hepatomegaly 26.9 % and/or splenomegaly 11.5 % and/or extrapulmonary lymphadenopathy 3.8 % in nearly half of the cases suggested that totally 42,2% of cases had disseminated of tuberculosis. On admission, 46.1% of the patients were noted to have hyponatremia. Microbiologic confirmation was established in eleven (42.3%) of the 26 infant. A positive CSF culture for Mtb and/or smear for AFB and/or PCR was obtained in only 5 (19.2%) patients, whereas 3 of the cases had accompaining gastric aspirate examination positivity. Pulmonary consolidation in 14 (53.8%) patients, miliary patern in 10 (41.6%) and pulmonary hilar lymphadenopathy in only 5 (20.8%) patients. 23 (88.4 %) had hydrocephalus, 15 (57.6 %) infarction, 10 (38.4 %) basilar meningitis and 9 (34.6%) tuberculomas. Empiric anti-tuberculosis treatment was instituted in all, at a median of 3 days (range 1-15 days) following admission. 8 (30.7%) died, 3 (11.5%) recovered completely, and 15 (57.6%) recovered with sequelae. 12 case (2 died) of the infants had required ventriculoperitoneal shunting.

CONCLUSION

As early diagnosis and specific treatment appears to prevent serious complications and reduce mortality, a high index of suspicion among pediatricians is especially required in an infant with an atypical picture suggestive of tuberculosis infection.

Predictors of fever response in tuberculous meningitis: A clinical, MRI and biomarker study

BACKGROUND

Central nervous system (CNS) has a different immune surveillance system; therefore, fever at admission and timeline of fever response after antitubercular treatment (ATT) may follow a different course in CNS infection. We report the predictors of fever response in tuberculous meningitis (TBM) including the effect of tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and its gene expression at mRNA of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs).

METHODS

Fifty-seven patients with TBM were prospectively evaluated. Their clinical findings and severity of meningitis were recorded. The expression of TNF-α gene in PBMCs was quantified by real-time polymerase chain reaction and TNF-α concentration in CSF by cytokine bead array both in the patients and 14 matched controls.

RESULTS

All the patients had history of fever for a median duration of 75 days. The admission temperature ranged between 37.2°C and 40°C and correlated with CSF cell counts (p < 0.05). Cranial MRI was abnormal in 54 (94.7%) and revealed exudates in 33(57.9%), hydrocephalus in 27(47.4%), infarction in 27(47.4%) and tuberculoma in 33(57.9%) patients. Fever subsided after a median duration of 18 (2 60) days of treatment. Twelve (21.8%) patients only became afebrile within 10 days. The expression of TNF-α gene correlated with CSF concentration of TNF-α (p = 0.02) and independently predicted duration of defervescence [adjusted hazard ratio 1.02 (95% CI 1.00-1.04; p = 0.01).

CONCLUSION

In the patients with TBM, defervescence takes longer time, and TNF-α gene expression predicts the duration of defervescence. Future studies are needed to evaluate the role of TNF-α-modifying drugs in TBM.

The diagnostic challenge of atypical tuberculous meningitis in children from rural area

Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is a severe form of Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, while its diagnosis is still a challenge in children. Here, six children with atypical TBM were retrospectively reviewed and the main findings were displayed as follows. The enrolled cases exhibited non-specific symptoms on admission, mainly including fever ( n = 5), headache ( n = 3), vomiting ( n = 5), and drowsiness ( n = 3), but no typical symptoms of TB infection. Two of them exhibited progressive symptoms under routine treatment. Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) examinations revealed increased white blood cells and proteins, as well as decreased glucose and chloride in all cases. Chest imaging identified the possibly of pulmonary tuberculous in 2 cases. Cranial CT and MRI revealed neuroimaging abnormality in 1 and 3 cases, respectively. In addition, next-generation sequencing directly supported the diagnosis of TBM in case 5. To sum up, TBM should be highly suspected in children with central nervous system infection, when there are no improvements under routine treatment and/or the presence of progressive symptoms. Timely rechecking of CSF combined with cranial imaging is feasible and valuable for the diagnosis of TBM.

Etiology, Clinical Phenotypes, Epidemiological Correlates, Laboratory Biomarkers and Diagnostic Challenges of Pediatric Viral Meningitis: Descriptive Review

Meningitis is an inflammation of the brain and spinal cord meninges caused by infectious and non-infectious agents. Infectious agents causing meningitis include viruses, bacteria, and fungi. Viral meningitis (VM), also termed aseptic meningitis, is caused by some viruses, such as enteroviruses (EVs), herpesviruses, influenza viruses, and arboviruses. However, EVs represent the primary cause of VM. The clinical symptoms of this neurological disorder may rapidly be observed after the onset of the disease, or take prolonged time to develop. The primary clinical manifestations of VM include common flu-like symptoms of headache, photophobia, fever, nuchal rigidity, myalgia, and fatigue. The severity of these symptoms depends on the patient's age; they are more severe among infants and children. The course of infection of VM varies between asymptomatic, mild, critically ill, and fatal disease. Morbidities and mortalities of VM are dependent on the early recognition and treatment of the disease. There were no significant distinctions in the clinical phenotypes and symptoms between VM and meningitis due to other causative agents. To date, the pathophysiological mechanisms of VM are unclear. In this scientific communication, a descriptive review was performed to give an overview of pediatric viral meningitis (PVM). PVM may occasionally result in severe neurological consequences such as mental retardation and death. Clinical examinations, including Kernig's, Brudzinski's, and nuchal rigidity signs, were attempted to determine the clinical course of PVM with various success rates revealed. Some epidemiological correlates of PVM were adequately reviewed and presented in this report. They were seen depending mainly on the causative virus. The abnormal cytological and biochemical features of PVM were also discussed and showed potentials to distinguish PVM from pediatric bacterial meningitis (PBM). The pathological, developmental, behavioral, and neuropsychological complications of PVM were also presented. All the previously utilized techniques for the etiological diagnosis of PVM which include virology, serology, biochemistry, and radiology, were presented and discussed to determine their efficiencies and limitations. Finally, molecular testing, mainly PCR, was introduced and showed 100% sensitivity rates.

Tuberculous Meningitis in Children: Reducing the Burden of Death and Disability

Tuberculous meningitis disproportionately affects young children. As the most devastating form of tuberculosis, it is associated with unacceptably high rates of mortality and morbidity even if treated. Challenging to diagnose and treat, tuberculous meningitis commonly causes long-term neurodisability in those who do survive. There remains an urgent need for strengthened surveillance, improved rapid diagnostics technology, optimised anti-tuberculosis drug therapy, investigation of new host-directed therapy, and further research on long-term functional and neurodevelopmental outcomes to allow targeted intervention. This review focuses on the neglected field of paediatric tuberculous meningitis and bridges current clinical gaps with research questions to improve outcomes from this crippling disease.

Direct economic burden of patients with tuberculous meningitis in western China

OBJECTIVE

To estimate the direct economic burden of tuberculous meningitis (TBM) in China for the first time.

METHODS

Patients who were first diagnosed with TBM from December 2015 to December 2018 in Western China Hospital were enrolled. We retrospectively collected data on demographic and clinical features, resource utilization, costs, and long-term outcomes. The patients were followed up for 15-53 months. We performed a cost-of-illness study and analyzed the cost contributors with a generalized linear model.

RESULTS

In total, the cases of 154 TBM patients (95 males, 59 females, aged 14-82 years) were reviewed. The average total direct cost per person was USD (United States dollars) 9,484 (range 1,822-67,285), with a mean direct medical cost of USD 8,901 (range 1,189-67,049). The average inpatient cost and drug cost after discharge were USD 6,837 (range 845-52,921) and USD 1,967 (range 0-60,423), respectively. The mean direct nonmedical cost was USD 583 (range 33-3,817), which accounted for 6.2% of the total direct cost. The average length of stay (LOS) in hospital was 25.0 days (range 6-152). A total of 117 of the patients (76.0%) had good outcomes (mRS = 0-2). There was no significant difference in the costs, LOS, or outcomes between rural and urban patients. Contributors to total direct cost were definite TBM, fever, coma, seizures, multidrug resistance, hydrocephalus, and poor long-term outcome.

CONCLUSIONS

Although the accessibility of medical resources in remote and rural regions has significantly improved in China, the cost of TBM imposes a catastrophic burden on patients.

Comparative analysis between tuberculous meningitis and other forms of extrapulmonary tuberculosis

Introduction

Tuberculosis is a multisystem disease that may affect any organ or tissue. Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is the most severe form of tuberculosis and commonly affects the brain. We aimed to study the epidemiological, clinical, therapeutic and evolutionary features of TBM among adults and to compare them with other forms of extrapulmonary tuberculosis.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study including all patients hospitalized for extrapulmonary tuberculosis in the infectious disease department in Sfax, Tunisia between 1993 and 2018. We specified the particularities of TBM cases, and we compared them with other extrapulmonary tuberculosis cases.

Results

We encountered 78 patients diagnosed with TBM, among 519 patients with extrapulmonary tuberculosis (15%). The median age was 36 years (23-50) years. There were 44 females (56.4%). In comparison with other forms of extrapulmonary tuberculosis, fever [odds ratio (OR)=4.4; p<0.001], asthenia (OR=3.4; p<0.001) and anorexia (OR=2.3; p=0.001) were significantly more frequent in TBM patients. Adverse effects of antitubercular therapy were more frequent among TBM patients (OR=3.1; p<0.001). The mean duration of antitubercular therapy was 15 (12-20) months. Recovery occurred in 66 cases (84.6%), complications in 44 cases (56.4%) and death in 7 cases (9%). Comparison of the disease evolution showed that complications (OR=7.4; p<0.001) and mortality rates (OR=10.7; p<0.001) were significantly more frequent in TBM patients, while recovery was significantly more frequent in other sites of extrapulmonary tuberculosis patients (OR=0.5; p=0.02).

Conclusions

In our country, TBM remains a disabling disease. Despite antitubercular therapy, the prognosis was more severe with the occurrence of not only complications but also a high mortality rate in comparison with other forms of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. When clinical and laboratory features suggest the diagnosis of TBM, clinicians should look for tuberculosis elsewhere in the body.

Tuberculous Meningitis: Pathogenesis, Immune Responses, Diagnostic Challenges, and the Potential of Biomarker-Based Approaches

Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is the most devastating form of tuberculosis (TB), causing high mortality or disability. Clinical management of the disease is challenging due to limitations of the existing diagnostic approaches. Our knowledge on the immunology and pathogenesis of the disease is currently limited. More research is urgently needed to enhance our understanding of the immunopathogenesis of the disease and guide us toward the identification of targets that may be useful for vaccines or host-directed therapeutics.

Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is the most devastating form of tuberculosis (TB), causing high mortality or disability. Clinical management of the disease is challenging due to limitations of the existing diagnostic approaches. Our knowledge on the immunology and pathogenesis of the disease is currently limited. More research is urgently needed to enhance our understanding of the immunopathogenesis of the disease and guide us toward the identification of targets that may be useful for vaccines or host-directed therapeutics. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about the immunology and pathogenesis of TBM and summarize the literature on existing and new, especially biomarker-based, approaches that may be useful in the management of TBM. We identify research gaps and provide directions for research which may lead to the development of new tools for the control of the disease in the near future.

Advances in tuberculous meningitis diagnosis

Introduction: Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is the most devastating form of central nervous system tuberculosis (TB) and causes high mortality worldwide. Nonspecific clinical manifestations and limited sensitivity of existing laboratory methods make the diagnosis elusive due to the paucibacillary nature of the infection. Areas Covered: We reviewed current literature on the adequacy and limitations of globally existing laboratory methods for diagnosing TBM. Expert opinion: TBM is deadliest among all TB forms, as the outcome may lead to death in 50% of cases, and survivors undergo irreversible neurological disorders. Therefore, early diagnosis and prompt treatment are cornerstones of effective disease management. Conventional microscopy and culture are widely used modalities but remain inadequate in most TBM cases. Although expanded use of rapid molecular tests such as real-time PCR and Xpert Ultra, even in resource-limited settings, hold promising results for TB diagnosis but need optimization for early detection of TBM. Moreover, CSF IGRA is also used but unable to differentiate between active and latent TB. Overall no single test for diagnosing TBM has adequate accuracy so, there is an urgent need to devise a point-of-care test.

Analysis of Tuberculosis Meningitis Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Tuberculosis (TB) is the most prevalent infectious disease in the world. In recent years there has been a significant increase in the incidence of TB due to the emergence of multidrug resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) and the increased numbers of highly susceptible immuno-compromised individuals. Central nervous system TB, includes TB meningitis (TBM-the most common presentation), intracranial tuberculomas, and spinal tuberculous arachnoiditis. Individuals with TBM have an initial phase of malaise, headache, fever, or personality change, followed by protracted headache, stroke, meningismus, vomiting, confusion, and focal neurologic findings in two to three weeks. If untreated, mental status deteriorates into stupor or coma. Delay in the treatment of TBM results in, either death or substantial neurological morbidity. This review provides latest developments in the biomedical research on TB meningitis mainly in the areas of host immune responses, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of this disease.