Spectrum of Cryptococcal Meningoencephalitis in Tertiary Hospital in Nepal

Abstract

Introduction: Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis is the most frequently encountered manifestation of cryptococcosis and prevalent throughout the globe. The majority of patient suffering from cryptococcosis is immunocompromised and AIDS account for most of the case. We aimed to determine the spectrum of cryptococcal meningoencephalitis at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital (TUTH), Kathmandu, Nepal.

Methods: A retrospective study was performed among all the patients (n=15) who were admitted with cryptococcal meningoencephalitis at TUTH over a period of one fiscal year July 2017 to June 2018. Data on patient’s demography, history, complaints, clinical findings, neuroimaging, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) investigation, hospital medication information, complications, mortality and Left Against Medical Advise (LAMA) were extracted from patient medication records of the hospital. Descriptive statistics was performed using IBM-SPSS 20.0.

Results: Of total 15 patients with Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis, majority (9, 60%) had HIV infection. The most common complaints were vomiting (12, 80%) and headache (11, 73%) and clinical findings showed meningeal irritation (8, 53%) and papilledema (4, 27%). Only two neuroimagings among all patients were abnormal. CSF investigation depicted high total cell count (>5cells/mm3), high protein (>45 mg/dl) and positive cryptococcal antibody in all patients while lymphocytic predominance and lower sugar levels (<3 mmol/dl) in 93% along with ADA of <10 U/L in 67%. Amphotericin-B (mean duration 17 days) and fluconazole antifungals were used in all the patients. Twenty seven percent patients died during hospital stay. Pancytopenia, hydrocephalus and hospital acquired pneumonia were observed in 7 percent of patient from each group and 13 percent of cases left against medical advice.

Conclusion: Cryptococcal meningoencephalitis is common in People Living with HIV (PLHIV) and caused substantial mortality.