All issues > Volume 22(5); 1979

Original Article

J Korean Pediatr Soc. 1979;22(5):353-359. Published online May 15, 1979.

Studies on Time to Normal Return of C.S.F. Findings in Childhood T.B. meningitis.

Hyo Duck Kim, Jae Koo Lee

¹Department of pediatrics, College of Medicine, Chonnam National University, Kwangju, Korea.

Abstract

The following results were obtained through the clinical review of 71 cases among 256 cases of tuberculous meningitis treated at the Mokpo children's T.B. hospital during the seven-year period, January 1970 through December 1976. 1. The distribution by age was 83.1% of the patients less than 6 years of age and 25.4% were between 1 and 2 year old. Male to female ratio was similar. 2. Seasonal incidence was in the order of summer, spring, winter and autumn. 3. Family history of tuberculosis was found in 29.5% of cases. 4. The most common symptoms on admission were in the order of vomiting, fever, generalized convulsion, cough and headache. 5. Tuberculin test revealed positive reaction in 65.1% of cases. 6. Chest x-ray revealed tuberculous lesions in 70.4% and miliary tuberculosis were found in 8.4% of all cases. 7. Leukocytes count in the C.S.F. on admission were between 200 and 500/mm3 in 43.7% of the patients and mean count was 330/mm3 Sugar in C.S.F. was definitely reduced less than 40mg% in 77.4% of the patients and mean level was 27mg%. Protein content was elevated between 40 and 300mg% in 78.9% of the patients. 8. Time to normal return of C.S.F. findings ; Sugar returned to normal in 80.4% of the patients less than 7 months and average was 5 months. Protein returned to normal in 81.8% of the patients less than 5 months after therapy was started and average was 3.2 months Leukocytes count returned to normal in 22.5% of the patients between 4 and 5 months after therapy was started and returned to normal in 80.4% of the patients less than 7 months and average was 5 months.

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