Table 2. Characteristics of central nervous system cryptococcosis in 80 solid organ transplant recipients.
| Variables | % (n) |
|---|---|
| Time to onset of central nervous system cryptococcosis | |
| Median (interquartile range), month | 25.0 (9-67) |
| 0-30 days | 2.5% (2) |
| 31-90 days | 8.7% (7) |
| 91 days – 1 year | 20% (16) |
| >1 year | 68.7% (55) |
| Involved sites other than the central nervous system | |
| Lung | 41.2% (33) |
| Skin | 18.7% (15) |
| Other sites1 | 3.7% (3) |
| Fungemia | 38.2% (29) |
| Serum cryptococcal antigen level, median | 512 |
| Level ≥1:512 | 50.9% (28/55) |
| Cerebrospinal fluid analysis | |
| White blood count, median (interquartile range) | 67 (13-160) |
| Glucose level, median (interquartile range) | 47 (31-69) |
| Cryptococcal antigen level, median (interquartile range) | 64 (8-1024) |
| Level ≥1:512 | 36.5% (27/74) |
| Positive culture | 77.5% (62) |
| Initial antifungal agents2 | |
| Lipid formulations of amphotericin B | 68.8% (55) |
| Duration, median (interquartile range), days | 21 (14-32) |
| Amphotericin B lipid complex | 18 (14-31) |
| Liposomal amphotericin B | 25 (20-31) |
| Dosage3 | |
| Total daily dose, median (interquartile range), mg/day | 350 (300-400) |
| Amphotericin B lipid complex | 350 (300-400) |
| Liposomal amphotericin B | 375 (337.5-400) |
| Daily dose, median (interquartile range), mg/kg/day | 4.5 (3.75-5) |
| Amphotericin B lipid complex | 5 (4.5-5) |
| Liposomal amphotericin B | 4 (3.75-5) |
| Concurrent use of 5-FC4 | 67.3% (37/55) |
| Duration of 5-FC, median (interquartile range), days | 14 (9-23) |
| Amphotericin B deoxycholate | 25.0% (20) |
| Duration, median (interquartile range), days | 20 (14-49) |
| Dosage5 | |
| Total daily dose, median (interquartile range), mg/day | 50 (47.5-62.5) |
| Daily dose, median (interquartile range), mg/kg/day | 1 (0.93-1.19) |
| Concurrent use of 5-FC | 40.0% (8/20) |
| Duration of 5-FC, median (interquartile range), days | 37 (25-49) |
1
Other sites included peritoneal fluid, bile duct, groin mass, and urine;
2
5 patients treated with fluconazole alone were excluded from these analyses;
3
Dosage was available as mg/day in 41 patients and as mg/kg/day in 12 patients;
4
5-FC= flucytosine;
5
Dosage was available as mg/day in 7 patients and as mg/kg/day in 8 patients.