Brain MRI findings in relation to clinical characteristics and outcome of tuberculous meningitis

PLoS One. 2020 Nov 13;15(11):e0241974. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0241974. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Neuroradiological abnormalities in tuberculous meningitis (TBM) are common, but the exact relationship with clinical and inflammatory markers has not been well established. We performed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at baseline and after two months treatment to characterise neuroradiological patterns in a prospective cohort of adult TBM patients in Indonesia. We included 48 TBM patients (median age 30, 52% female, 8% HIV-infected), most of whom had grade II (90%), bacteriologically confirmed (71%) disease, without antituberculotic resistance. Most patients had more than one brain lesion (83%); baseline MRIs showed meningeal enhancement (89%), tuberculomas (77%), brain infarction (60%) and hydrocephalus (56%). We also performed an exploratory analysis associating MRI findings to clinical parameters, response to treatment, paradoxical reactions and survival. The presence of multiple brain lesion was associated with a lower Glasgow Coma Scale and more pronounced motor, lung, and CSF abnormalities (p-value <0.05). After two months, 33/37 patients (89%) showed worsening of MRI findings, mostly consisting of new or enlarged tuberculomas. Baseline and follow-up MRI findings and paradoxical responses showed no association with six-month mortality. Severe TBM is characterized by extensive MRI abnormalities at baseline, and frequent radiological worsening during treatment.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Antitubercular Agents / therapeutic use
  • Brain / physiology*
  • Brain / physiopathology*
  • Brain Infarction / physiopathology
  • Double-Blind Method
  • Female
  • Glasgow Coma Scale
  • Humans
  • Hydrocephalus / physiopathology
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prospective Studies
  • Tuberculosis, Meningeal / drug therapy
  • Tuberculosis, Meningeal / physiopathology*
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Antitubercular Agents

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Peer Health (National Academy of Sciences [NAS]- United States Agency for International Development [USAID]), the Ministry of Research, Technology and Higher Education, Indonesia (PKSLN grant to T.H.A., R.R., and S.D.), the Direktorat Jenderal Pendidikan Tinggi (BPPLN fellowship to S.D.), and Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands (fellowship to S.D.).