[Characterization of a group of patients with cryptococcosis of the central nervous system]. / Caracterizacion de un grupo de pacientes con criptococosis del sistema nervioso central.

INTRODUCTION: Incidence of cryptococcosis of the central nervous system has risen sharply since AIDS became pandemic; from early 1998, the Instituto de Neurología y Neurocirugía in Havana has beaten its own record in the number of cases attended. AIM: To describe the clinical epidemiological characteristics of patients with this disease who were hospitalised in this centre between 1991 and 2000. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We present a descriptive study of 16 adult individuals who were admitted for this reason. Data on variables related with aspects concerning their epidemiology, clinical features, treatment and evolution were collected from a review of the clinical records and a survey conducted by post. RESULTS: It was found that in no cases did the disease appear as an epidemic outbreak, in 75% of the patients there was some kind of link with pigeons, none of the patients were HIV positive, and 50% displayed other causes of immunosuppression. Clinical behaviour varied and forms of meningitis and meningoencephalitis were prevalent; 37.5% of the patients displayed mild forms of the disease and 62.5% had more serious forms. The initial symptom in most cases was headache. The most constant CSF pattern was a raised protein level in the cerebrospinal fluid with scarce cellularity. 87.5% of the patients were cured of the disease by treatment involving amphotericin B, in some cases associated with fluconazole. Death and the presence of post treatment sequelae were observed in patients with serious clinical forms and late diagnoses

Caracterización de un grupo de pacientes con criptococosis del sistema nervioso central / Characterization of a group of patients with cryptococcosis of the central nervous system

Introducción. La criptococosis del sistema nervioso central ha tenido un alza vertiginosa a partir de la pandemia del sida; en el Instituto de Neurología y Neurocirugía de la Habana se han recibido, desde principios de 1998, un número de casos superior a su registro histórico. Objetivo. Describir las características clinicoepidemiológicas de los pacientes hospitalizados con esta enfermedad en este centro entre 1991 y el 2000. Pacientes y métodos. Se realizó un estudio descriptivo de los 16 individuos adultos que se ingresaron por esta causa, y se recogieron variables relacionadas con aspectos epidemiológicos, clínicos, del tratamiento y su evolución, a partir de la revisión de las historias clínicas y una encuesta aplicada por correo postal. Resultados. La enfermedad no se presentó en ningún caso en forma de brote epidémico, en el 75 por ciento de los pacientes se encontró alguna relación con palomas, ningún enfermo fue positivo al VIH, y se demostraron en el 50 por ciento otras causas de inmunosupresión. El comportamiento clínico varió, y predominaron las formas de meningitis y meningoencefalitis; el 37,5 por ciento de los pacientes presentó formas leves de la enfermedad, y el 62,5 por ciento formas más graves; la cefalea fue el síntoma inicial en la mayoría de los casos. El patrón del LCR más constante fue una hiperproteinorraquia con escasa celularidad. El 87,5 por ciento de los pacientes logró la cura de la enfermedad con un esquema de tratamiento con anfotericina B, en algunos casos asociado a fluconazol. La muerte y la presencia de secuelas postratamiento se observó en pacientes con formas clínicas graves y diagnóstico tardío (AU)

Introduction. Incidence of cryptococcosis of the central nervous system has risen sharply since AIDS became pandemic; from early 1998, the Instituto de Neurología y Neurocirugía in Havana has beaten its own record in the number of cases attended. Aim. To describe the clinical-epidemiological characteristics of patients with this disease who were hospitalised in this centre between 1991 and 2000. Patients and methods. We present a descriptive study of 16 adult individuals who were admitted for this reason. Data on variables related with aspects concerning their epidemiology, clinical features, treatment and evolution were collected from a review of the clinical records and a survey conducted by post. Results. It was found that in no cases did the disease appear as an epidemic outbreak, in 75% of the patients there was some kind of link with pigeons, none of the patients were HIV positive, and 50% displayed other causes of immunosuppression. Clinical behaviour varied and forms of meningitis and meningoencephalitis were prevalent; 37.5% of the patients displayed mild forms of the disease and 62.5% had more serious forms. The initial symptom in most cases was headache. The most constant CSF pattern was a raised protein level in the cerebrospinal fluid with scarce cellularity. 87.5% of the patients were cured of the disease by treatment involving amphotericin B, in some cases associated with fluconazole. Death and the presence of post-treatment sequelae were observed in patients with serious clinical forms and late diagnoses (AU)