Variabilidad en las manifestaciones clínicas de la meningoencefalitis por tuberculosis

with the objective of describing clinical manifestations in patients with meningeal encephalitis due to tuberculosis (tbc), a descriptive, retrospective study was made by reviewing clinical histories of 15 adult patients with a diagnosis of tbc in the sahum neurology service from january 2002 to december 2008. age, sex, clinical manifestations, hospitalization and treatment were analyzed. of the 15 patients, 10 (66.67%) were female, 9 (60.0%) were between 20 and 29 years of age; 53.34% came from the mara and páez municipalities. the clinical manifestations were: headache and nape of the neck rigidity, 14 (93.33%); alteration of consciousness, 13 (86.67%); alteration of mental state, 7 (46.66%); convulsions, 8 (53.33%); intracranial hypertension, 5 (33.33%); motor deficit, 3 (20.00%); alteration of cranial pairs, 2 (13.33%) as a false locator sign and diplopia, 2 (13.33%). cytochemical study of the cerebrospinal fluid revealed hypoglycorrhachia in 100.00% of the patients. ziehl neelsen coloration was positive in 1 (6.67%). six patients (40.00%) had had the disease for more than 1 month. conclusions were that the clinical manifestations of meningeal encephalitis due to tbc are diverse, with the meningeal syndrome as the most frequent.