Table 1.
Comparison of clinical, neuroimaging and laboratory characteristics of tuberculous myelitis versus other causes of myelitis
| Variables | All patients N = 52 | Tuberculous myelitis N = 18 | Other causes of myelitis N = 34 | P | B-H adjusted P values | Relative risk (95% Confidence Interval) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age in years | 0.810 | 0.810 | NA | |||
| Mean ± SD | 26.94 ± 11.86 | 25.83 ± 6.48 | 27.53 ± 13.96 | |||
| Median (IQR) | 26.5 (13.8) | 26.00 (5.5) | 27.00 (20.5) | |||
| Gender Male N (%) | 26 (50) | 8 (44.4) | 18 (52.9) | 0.560 | 0.632 | 0.8 (0.38–1.70) |
| Paraparesis N (%) | 42 (80.8) | 17 (94.4) | 25 (73.5) | 0.136 | 0.216 | 4.05 (0.61–26.93) |
| Quadriparesis N (%) | 10 (19.2) | 1 (5.6) | 9 (26.5) | 0.136 | 0.238 | 0.25 (0.04–1.64) |
| Sensory involvement N (%) | 35 (67.3) | 8 (44.4) | 27 (79.4) | 0.011 | 0.032 | 0.39 (0.19–0.804) |
| Sphincter involvement N (%) | 47 (90.4) | 15 (83.3) | 32 (94.1) | 0.327 | 0.424 | 0.53 (0.23–1.22) |
| Fever N (%) | 18 (34.6) | 10 (55.6) | 8 (23.5) | 0.021 | 0.057 | 2.36 (1.13–4.92) |
| Headache N (%) | 11 (21.2) | 8 (44.4) | 3 (8.8) | 0.005 | 0.018 | 2.98 (1.56–5.71) |
| Seizure N (%) | 03 (5.8) | 2 (11.1) | 1 (2.9) | 0.543 | 0.634 | 2.04 (0.84–5.00) |
| Vomiting N (%) | 09 (17.3) | 5 (27.8) | 4 (11.8) | 0.247 | 0.360 | 1.84 (0.88–3.85) |
| Hiccough N (%) | 03 (5.8) | 0 (0) | 3 (8.8) | 0.308 | 0.414 | NA |
| Vision loss N (%) | 04 (7.7) | 0 (0) | 4 (11.8) | 0.285 | 0.399 | NA |
| Chest X-ray abnormalities (s/o TB) N (%) | 9 (17.3) | 9 (50.0) | 0 (0) | 0.001 | 0.004 | NA |
| T2 hyperintensity in spinal cord N (%) | 52 (100.0) | 18 (100) | 34 (100) | NA | NA | NA |
| Corresponding T1 hypointensity N (%) | 21 (40.4) | 8 (44.4) | 13 (38.2) | 0.664 | 0.704 | 1.18 (0.56–2.49) |
| Cord swelling N (%) | 10 (19.2) | 1 (5.6) | 9 (26.5) | 0.136 | 0.227 | 0.25 (0.04–1.64) |
| Spinal meningeal enhancement N (%) | 14 (26.9) | 14 (77.8) | 0 (0) | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | NA |
| Arachnoiditis N (%) | 3 (5.8) | 3 (16.7) | 0 (0) | 0.037 | 0.086 | NA |
| CSF loculation N (%) | 3 (5.8) | 3 (16.7) | 0 (0) | 0.037 | 0.081 | NA |
| Extra axial collection | 3 (5.8) | 3 (16.7) | 0 (0) | 0.037 | 0.093 | NA |
| Spinal tuberculoma | 2 (3.8) | 2 (11.1) | 0 (0) | 0.115 | 0.211 | NA |
| Cervical cord involvement N (%) | 4 (7.7) | 2 (11.1) | 2 (5.9) | 0.602 | 0.658 | 1.50 (0.52–4.32) |
| Cervico-Dorsal cord involvement N (%) | 38 (73.1) | 12 (66.7) | 26 (76.5) | 0.448 | 0.541 | 0.74 (0.34–1.58) |
| Dorsal cord involvement N (%) | 10 (19.2) | 4 (22.2) | 6 (17.6) | 0.723 | 0.744 | 1.2 (0.50–2.87) |
| Area postrema involvement N (%) | 12 (23.1) | 1 (5.6) | 11 (32.4) | 0.039 | 0.080 | 0.20 (0.03–1.32) |
| LETM N (%) | 46 (88.5) | 17 (94.4) | 29 (85.3) | 0.412 | 0.515 | 2.22 (0.36–13.80) |
| Hydrocephalus N (%) | 7 (13.5) | 7 (38.9) | 0 (0) | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | NA |
| Basal exudates N (%) | 8 (15.4) | 8 (44.4) | 0 (0) | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | NA |
| Tuberculoma N (%) | 9 (17.3) | 9 (50.0) | 0 (0) | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | NA |
| Infarct N (%) | 2 (3.8) | 2 (11.1) | 0 (0) | 0.113 | 0.212 | NA |
| Meningeal enhancement N (%) | 11 (21.2) | 11 (61.1) | 0 (0) | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | NA |
| Brain demyelination N (%) | 5 (9.6) | 0 (0) | 3 (14.7) | 0.150 | 0.228 | NA |
| CSF protein mg/dl | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | NA | |||
| Mean ± SD | 204.30 ± 368.20 | 403.67 ± 534.15 | 98.76 ± 171.41 | |||
| Median (IQR) | 70.00 (98.3) | 148.50 (501.00) | 58.00 (45.8) | |||
| CSF glucose mg/dl | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | NA | |||
| Mean ± SD | 69.29 ± 30.97 | 49.89 ± 29.79 | 79.56 ± 26.66 | |||
| Median (IQR) | 63.50 (44.8) | 45.50 (25.8) | 69.50 (39.8) | |||
| CSF cell/mm3 | < 0.001 | < 0.001 | NA | |||
| Mean ± SD | 72.75 ± 129.26 | 159.72 ± 185.09 | 26.71 ± 43.19 | |||
| Median (IQR) | 17.50 (62.5) | 60.00 (274.5) | 5 (16.3) | |||
| Poor outcome N (%) | 22 (42.3) | 3 (16.7) | 19 (55.9) | 0.008 | 0.025 | 0.27 (0.09–0.82) |
B-H, Benjamini–Hochberg Adjusted P value where multiple comparisons were done. SD, standard deviation, IQR, inter-quartile range, CSF, cerebrospinal fluid, LETM, longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis, TLC, total leukocyte count
P values showing statistical significant results are marked in bold