Table 2.
Univariate analysis comparing variables between patients with tuberculous and bacterial meningitis.
| Characteristic | Tuberculous meningitis | Bacterial meningitis | P-value | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| n | n | ||||
| Age, years; median (90% range) | 52 (19–75) | 58 | 42 (16–71) | 45 | 0.107 |
| Sex, male (%) | 36 (62) | 58 | 33 (73) | 45 | 0.228 |
| Duration of illness, days; median (90% range) | 15 (4–120) | 58 | 3 (1–26) | 45 | 0.0001 |
| Duration of headache, days; median (90% range) | 7 (0–50) | 58 | 2 (0–26) | 45 | 0.178 |
| Duration of fever, days; median (90% range) | 10 (0–63) | 58 | 2 (0–14) | 45 | 0.0001 |
| Coma before admission (%) | 17 (29) | 58 | 14 (31) | 45 | 0.843 |
| Hemiplegia (%) | 8 (14) | 58 | 4 (9) | 45 | 0.442 |
| Cranial nerve palsies (%) | 7 (12) | 58 | 7 (16) | 45 | 0.609 |
| Recent loss of weight (%) | 8 (14) | 58 | 1 (2) | 45 | 0.087 |
| Night sweats (%) | 6 (10) | 58 | 0 (0) | 45 | 0.072 |
| Coughing for 2 or more weeks (%) | 15 (26) | 58 | 1 (2) | 45 | 0.001 |
| GCS; median (90% range) | 15 (9–15) | 58 | 15 (6–15) | 45 | 0.195 |
| Meningeal signs (%) | 42 (72) | 58 | 43 (96) | 45 | 0.002 |
| HCT %; median (90% range) | 35 (26–43) | 58 | 39 (22–49) | 45 | 0.005 |
| Blood WCC (103/mL); median (90% range) | 7,700 (3,385–15,735) | 58 | 13,000 (5,300–30,480) | 45 | 0.0001 |
| Blood % neutrophils; median (90% range) | 81 (50–95) | 58 | 89 (71–97) | 45 | 0.0001 |
| Blood sodium, mmol/L; median (90% range) | 133 (120–142) | 58 | 138 (134–143) | 45 | 0.0001 |
| CSF opening pressure, cm H20; median (90% range) | 18 (8–40) | 56 | 20 (9–34) | 45 | 0.559 |
| Clear CSF appearance (%) | 51 (91) | 56 | 26 (58) | 45 | 0.0001 |
| CSF total WCC (103/mL); median (90% range) | 40 (2–448) | 56 | 350 (7–4,852) | 45 | 0.0001 |
| CSF % neutrophils; median (90% range) | 34 (0–75) | 54 | 80 (15–94) | 45 | 0.0001 |
| CSF % lymphocytes; median (90% range) | 60 (18–95) | 54 | 20 (4–82) | 45 | 0.0001 |
| CSF protein, g/dL; median (90% range) | 1,274 (214–2,810) | 56 | 1,350 (584–3,388) | 45 | 0.163 |
| CSF/blood glucose; median (90% range) | 0.3 (0.12–0.7) | 56 | 0.25 (0.02–0.9) | 45 | 0.129 |
| CSF chloride, mmol/L; median (90% range) | 115 (98–130) | 56 | 118 (107–129) | 45 | 0.023 |