Table 1. Comparison of baseline clinical and laboratory characteristics between included and excluded cases with HIV-associated CM in Peru*.
| N = 215 | Included (n = 175) | Excluded (n = 40) | p | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male, n (%) | 215 | 134 (76.6) | 28 (70.0) | 0.418 | |
| Age–years | 215 | 34.8 ± 9.0 | 33.7 ± 11.8 | 0.573 | |
| Previous episode of CM†, n (%) | 215 | 42 (24.0) | 11 (27.2) | 0.215 | |
| Duration of symptoms, median (IQR)–days | 207 | 18/167 (10–30) | 20/40 (12.5–60) | 0.82 | |
| CD4 cell count, median (IQR)—cel/mm3 | 161 | 33/138 (14–81) | 26/23 (20–50) | 0.367 | |
| HIV load–copies log10/mL‡ | 130 | 4.6/113 ± 1.4 | 4.6/17 ± 1.3 | 0.573 | |
| Antiretroviral use, n (%) | 31 | 24 (13.7) | 7 (17.5) | 0.539 | |
| Inpatient mortality, n (%) | 215 | 25 (14.3) | 18 (45.0) | <0.001 | |
| Antifungal treatment, n (%) | 215 | 0.001 | |||
| Amphotericin B | 145 | 109 (62.3) | 36 (90.0) | ||
| Amphotericin B plus fluconazol | 48 | 44 (25.1) | 4(10.0) | ||
| Amphotericin B plus interferon | 22 | 22(12.6) | 0 (0.0) | ||
| Treatment period, n (%)—years | 215 | 0.183 | |||
| 2000–2005 | 114 | 89 (50.9) | 25 (62.5) | ||
| ≥2006–2013 | 101 | 86 (49.1) | 15 (37.5) | ||
| Clinical parameters, n (%) | |||||
| Headache | 179 | 151 (86.3) | 28 (70.0) | 0.013 | |
| Vomiting | 123 | 103 (58.9) | 20 (50.0) | 0.307 | |
| Fever | 120/213 | 100/173 (57.8) | 20/40 (50.0) | 0.37 | |
| Seizures | 24 | 20 (11.4) | 4 (10.0) | 0.796 | |
| Signs of neurological focalization | 13 | 11 (6.3) | 2 (5.0) | 0.758 | |
| Altered mental status | 42 | 37 (21.1) | 5 (12.5) | 0.214 | |
| Meningeal signs | 95/213 | 87/173 (50.3) | 8/40 (20.0) | <0.001 | |
| Glasgow scale score | 189 | 14.6/163 ± 0.10 | 14.8/26 ± 0.5 | 0.241 | |
| Baseline CSF opening pressure—cmH2O§ | 197 | 29.6/165 ± 13.2 | 26.3/32 ± 13.5 | 0.2 | |
| Frequency of serial lumbar punctures, median (RI) | 193 | 3/162 (2–4) | 3/31 (2–4) | 0.342 | |
| Baseline laboratory parameters, n (%) | |||||
| QCC—log10CFU/mL ¶ | 195 | 3.5/163 ± 1.2 | 2.6/32 ± 1.4 | 0.001 | |
| Cryptococcus growth rate, median (IQR)–days | 165 | 4 (2–5) | 4 (3–6) | 0.73 | |
| Cryptococcal antigen testing, median (IQR) | 178 | 2048/148 (256–8192) | 1536/30 (32–4096) | 0.796 | |
| CSF white cell count, median (IQR)—cell/uL | 182 | 3/151 (0–14) | 0/31 (0–4) | 0.03 | |
| CSF glucose level—mg/dL | 180 | 35.6/153 ± 14.3 | 34.9/27 ± 16.4 | 0.81 | |
| CSF proteins level, median (IQR)—g/L | 180 | 70/152 (42.5–106) | 87.5/28 (62.5–120) | 0.217 | |
* Values represent the mean± standard deviation unless otherwise specified.
† CM: cryptococcal meningitis.
‡ HIV load: number of HIV virus in blood.
§ CSF: cerebro spinal fluid.
¶ QCC: quantitative cryptococcal culture.