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. 2025 Feb 5;9:695. Originally published 2024 Nov 27. [Version 2] doi: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.22498.2

Table 2. Baseline characteristics template table.

Characteristic Dexamethasone
(N=…)
Placebo
(N=…)
N Summary statistic N Summary statistic
Age (years) XX XX (XX,XX) XX XX (XX,XX)
Sex – male XX XX (XX%) XX XX (XX%)
Site
- HTD
- PNT

XX
XX

XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)

XX
XX

XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
Leukotriene A4 hydrolase
- TT
- CT
- CC

XX
XX
XX

XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)


XX
XX


XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
Diagnostic category *
- Definite TBM
- Probable TBM
- Possible TBM
- Not TBM

XX
XX
XX
XX

XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)

XX
XX
XX
XX

XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
Previous tuberculosis treatment XX XX (XX%) XX XX (XX%)
Chest X-ray findings
- No tuberculosis
- Miliary tuberculosis
- Pulmonary tuberculosis

XX
XX
XX

XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)

XX
XX
XX

XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
Modified MRC grade
- Grade I
- Grade II
- Grade III

XX
XX
XX

XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)

XX
XX
XX

XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
Glasgow coma score XX XX (XX,XX) XX XX (XX,XX)
Weight (kg) XX XX (XX,XX) XX XX (XX,XX)
Duration of symptoms (days) XX XX (XX,XX) XX XX (XX,XX)
Neurological signs
- Cranial nerve palsy
- Hemiplegia
- Paraplegia/tetraplegia
- Urinary retention

XX
XX
XX
XX

XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)

XX
XX
XX
XX

XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
History of diabetes XX XX (XX%) XX XX (XX%)
HbA1c (%) XX XX (XX,XX) XX XX (XX,XX)
Hepatitis B sAg positivity, XX XX (XX%) XX XX (XX%)
Hepatitis C Ab positivity XX XX (XX%) XX XX (XX%)
Alanine aminotransferase (ALT) (IU/L) XX XX (XX,XX) XX XX (XX,XX)
Bilirubin (µmol/L) XX XX (XX,XX) XX XX (XX,XX)
Full blood count
- Haemoglobin (g/dL)
- White cell count (x10 3/ µL)
- Platelets (x10 3/ µL)

XX
XX
XX

XX (XX,XX)
XX (XX,XX)
XX (XX,XX)

XX
XX
XX

XX (XX,XX)
XX (XX,XX)
XX (XX,XX)
Plasma sodium (mmol/L) XX XX (XX,XX) XX XX (XX,XX)
CSF parameters
- Opening pressure (cmH 20)
- Total leucocytes (cells/mm 3)
- Total neutrophils (cells/mm 3)
- Total lymphocytes (cells/mm 3)
- Protein (g/L)
- CSF:blood glucose

XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX

XX (XX,XX)
XX (XX,XX)
XX (XX,XX)
XX (XX,XX)
XX (XX,XX)
XX (XX,XX)

XX
XX
XX
XX
XX
XX

XX (XX,XX)
XX (XX,XX)
XX (XX,XX)
XX (XX,XX)
XX (XX,XX)
XX (XX,XX)
CSF microbiological tests
- Positive ZN stain
- Positive GeneXpert MTB/RIF
- Positive GeneXpert MTB/RIF Ultra
- Positive mycobacterial culture

XX
XX
XX
XX

XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)

XX
XX
XX
XX

XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
Duration of anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy before enrolment (days) XX XX (XX,XX) XX XX (XX,XX)
Enrolment anti-tuberculosis chemotherapy regimen
- Rifampicin
- Isoniazid
- Pyrazinamide
- Ethambutol
- Streptomycin

XX
XX
XX
XX
XX

XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)

XX
XX
XX
XX
XX

XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
Anti-tuberculosis drug resistance #
- Multi-drug resistant or rifampicin mono-resistant
- Isoniazid resistant non-MDR
- No or other resistance

XX
XX
XX

XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)

XX
XX
XX

XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)
XX (XX%)

* Participants will only be categorised as ‘not TBM’ if they have a confirmed alternative diagnosis (alternative to TBM) or if they fully recovered without any anti-TB drugs. #Results given for sub-group with positive mycobacterial culture on baseline CSF. N = number of patients included in that statistic. Summary statistic = the median (1 st and 3 rd quartile) value for numeric data, and the number and frequency (%) of patients with the characteristic for categorical data.

Definite TBM = positive acid fast bacilli (AFB) on CSF Ziehl Neelsen stain, or positive CSF TB GeneXpert test, OR positive CSF TB culture. Probable or possible TBM defined following uniform case defintion 12 , with the modification that participants with score<6, who do not meet the criteria for ‘not tuberculous meningitis’, will be classifed as ‘possible TBM’. Confirmed not-TBM = microbiologically confirmed other brain infection. Confirmed additional brain infection includes positive CSF India Ink stain, or CSF cryptococcal antigen, or positive blood cryptococcal antigen, or positive CSF bacterial Gram stain, or positive CSF bacterial culture, or positive CSF viral or helminth PCR test.

HTD=Hospital for Tropical Diseases. MDR=multi-drug resistant. MRC=Medical Research Council. PNT=Pham Ngoc Thach Hospital for Tuberculosis and Lung Disease. TBM=tuberculous meningitis. ZN=Ziehl Neelsen.