Prognostic 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 alterations. Disease time over 30 days, involvement of consciousness level and cerebrospinal fluid cells under 40/mm(3) 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.