Characteristics of cerebrospinal fluid under tuberculosis in patients with HIV-infection

Purpose. To carry out an analysis of characteristics and to reveal the peculiarities of laboratory changes of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in patients with tuberculosis of central nervous system associated with HIV-infection.Materials and methods. Analysis of 206 patients with CNS tuberculosis associated with HIV-infection who were treated in State Budgetary Healthcare Institution «City tuberculosis hospital No. 2» of Saint Petersburg during the period from 2006 to 2018 was conducted.Results and discussion. It was concluded that a mean protein level in CSF was 1,6±0,1 g/l and was significantly increased in patients with tubercular meningoencephalomyelitis. When decreasing the amount of CD4-lymphocytes, increasing of protein level in cerebrospinal fluid is observed. As cytosis increases, the amount of neutrophils increases too. Patients with tuberculous meningitis showed remarkable pleocytosis in comparison with patients with meningocephalitis. In 47% of cases, neutrophilic cell composition of CSF was registered. Therewith, the rate of neutrophils in CSF increased as the rate of lymphocytes decreased. Reducing of glucose in CSF was observed in the majority of patients with CNS tuberculosis independently of severity of immunosuppression and extent of brain injury.