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. 2013:2013:242604.
doi: 10.1155/2013/242604. Epub 2013 Aug 20.

Initial Antituberculous Regimen with Better Drug Penetration into Cerebrospinal Fluid Reduces Mortality in HIV Infected Patients with Tuberculous Meningitis: Data from an HIV Observational Cohort Study

Gerardo Alvarez-Uria  1 , Manoranjan Midde, Raghavakalyan Pakam, Praveen Kumar Naik
Affiliations

Initial Antituberculous Regimen with Better Drug Penetration into Cerebrospinal Fluid Reduces Mortality in HIV Infected Patients with Tuberculous Meningitis: Data from an HIV Observational Cohort Study

Gerardo Alvarez-Uria et al. Tuberc Res Treat. 2013.

Abstract

Tuberculous meningitis (TM) is the deadliest form of tuberculosis. Nearly two-thirds of HIV infected patients with TM die, and most deaths occur within one month. Current treatment of TM involves the use of drugs with poor penetration into the cerebro-spinal fluid (CSF). In this study, we present the mortality before and after implementing a new antituberculous regimen (ATR) with a higher drug penetration in CSF than the standard ATR during the initial treatment of TM in an HIV cohort study. The new ATR included levofloxacin, ethionamide, pyrazinamide, and a double dose of rifampicin and isoniazid and was given for a median of 7 days (interquartile range 6-9). The new ATR was associated with an absolute 21.5% (95% confidence interval (CI), 7.3-35.7) reduction in mortality at 12 months. In multivariable analysis, independent factors associated with mortality were the use of the standard ATR versus the new ATR (hazard ratio 2.05; 95% CI, 1.2-3.5), not being on antiretroviral therapy, low CD4 lymphocyte counts, and low serum albumin levels. Our findings suggest that an intensified initial ATR, which likely results in higher concentrations of active drugs in CSF, has a beneficial effect on the survival of HIV-related TM.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Kaplan-Meier survival estimates by the initial antituberculous regimen of 203 HIV patients with tuberculous meningitis. iATR, initial antituberculous regimen.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Kaplan-Meier survival estimates by baseline serum albumin levels (a), CD4 lymphocyte count (b), and duration of antiretroviral therapy (ART) of 203 HIV patients with tuberculous meningitis (c). ART, antiretroviral therapy; TB, tuberculous.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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