Tuberculous meningitis in HIV-infected and non-infected patients: comparison of cerebrospinal fluid findings.

We performed a retrospective comparison of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) characteristics and drug susceptibility profile in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infected and non-infected patients with a diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis. HIV-infected patients had a higher frequency of non-inflammatory CSF (absence of pleocytosis) and of infection by multidrug-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Protein CSF levels were lower in HIV-infected patients, while and glucose concentration was similar in both groups. Hospital mortality was significantly higher in HIV-infected patients (63.3% [64/101] vs. 17.5% [7/40]).