[Prognosis factors in cryptococcal meningoencephalitis].

OBJECTIVE

To identify demographic, clinical and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) variables associated to intrahospitalar lethality of patients with cryptococcal meningoencephalitis.

STUDY

DESIGN

Retrospective cohort to study prognosis.

SETTING

Hospital Couto Maia (HCMaia) reference for patients with infectious diseases in the State of Bahia Northeastern Brazil.

POPULATION: Patients admitted at HCMaia, from 1972 to 1996, with the diagnosis of cryptococcal meningoencephalitis.

RESULTS

Lethality rate was 42.7%. The most important neurological abnormalities were neck stiffness, decreased consciousness level, behavior changes, cranial nerve palsy and visual alteration. Disease time over 30 days, involvement of consciousness level and cerebrospinal fluid cells under 40/mm3 were associated to a higher lethality rate.

CONCLUSION

Disease time over 30 days, involvement of consciousness level, and CSF decreased cellularity were the only predictors of lethality in the studied population.