Normal cerebrospinal fluid protein and associated clinical characteristics in children with tuberculous meningitis

Figures & data

Table 1. Univariate analysis of the demographic data associated with normal CSF protein in childhood TBM.

	Total (n)	Normal CSF protien group (n)	Abnormal CSF protien group (n)	p value	OR (95% CI)
N	125	29 (23.2%)	96 (76.8%)
CSF protein (mg/L)	984 ± 758	307 ± 100	1189 ± 752
Symptoms
Cough	27 (21.6%)	7 (24.1%)	20 (20.8%)	.705
Fever	112 (89.6%)	27 (93.1%)	85 (88.5%)	.485
Vomitting	61 (48.8%)	7 (24.1%)	54 (56.3%)	.004	0.247 (0.097, 0.634)
Headache	65 (52.0%)	13 (44.8%)	52 (54.2%)	.379
Coma	16 (12.8%)	4 (13.8%)	12 (12.5%)	.855
Drowsiness	11 (8.8%)	0 (0.0%)	11 (11.5%)	.999
Convulsion	20 (16.0%)	3 (10.3%)	17 (17.7%)	.349
Dizziness	5 (4.0%)	1 (3.4%)	4 (4.2%)	.863
Clinical Chemistry (serum)
Total protein (g/L)	69 ± 8	67 ± 6	69 ± 8	.173
Albumin (g/L)	40 ± 5	39 ± 5	41 ± 4	.036	0.908 (0.830, 0.994)
Blood urea nitrogen (mmol/L)	4.5 ± 3.2	4.2 ± 1.2	4.6 ± 3.6	.621
Creatinine (μmmol/L)	37.6 ± 16.1	41.3 ± 14.6	36.5 ± 16.4	.164
Glucose (mmol/L)	5.0 ± 1.2	4.5 ± 0.9	5.2 ± 1.2	.005	0.452 (0.260, 0.785)
Lactate dehydrogenase (U/L)	279 ± 276	215 ± 56	293 ± 302	.045	0.989 (0.979, 1.000)

Abbreviations: CSF: cerebrospinal fluid; TBM: tuberculous meningitis; OR: odds ratio; CI: confidence interval.

Table 2. The CSF findings in children with TBM.

	Total (n)
N	125
Protein (mg/L)	984 ± 758
White blood cell (10^6/L)	159 ± 288
Mononuclear cell (%)	77 ± 25
Polyonuclear cell (%)	24 ± 25
Lactate (mmol/L)	4.6 ± 2.0
Aspartate aminotransferase (U/L)	15 ± 11
Total bilirubin (mmol/L)	1.01 ± 2.57
Adenosine deaminase (U/L)	5.5 ± 10.8
Lactate dehydrogenase (U/L)	69 ± 103
α- hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase (U/L)	45 ± 55
Total cholesterol (mmol/L)	0.15 ± 0.44
Glucose (mmol/L)	2.01 ± 1.07
IgA (mg/L)	18.4 ± 13.5
IgG (mg/L)	80.6 ± 31.5
IgM (mg/L)	4.3 ± 1.2
Chloride (mmol/L)	113 ± 7

Abbreviations: CSF: cerebrospinal fluid; TBM: tuberculous meningitis.

Table 3. Age- and sex-adjusted OR for risk factors associated with normal CSF protein in childhood TMB.

	Adjusted (age and sex) OR	p value
Vomitting	0.253 (0.091, 0.701)	.008
Serum glucose (>5.08mmol/L)	0.119 (0.032, 0.443)	.002

Abbreviations: CSF: cerebrospinal fluid; TBM: tuberculous meningitis; OR: odds ratio; CI: confidence interval.

Data availability statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author, [MSW or YH], upon reasonable request.