Table 1

Clinical and laboratory parameters of patients diagnosed as having AIDS-associated cryptococcal meningitis between January 1999-March 2001 and from April 2001-December 2002 (before and during the fluconazole donation programme respectively)


Before April 2001 (n = 77)
From April 2001 (n = 128)
P value

Median age in years (range)
33 (17–75)
35 (21–66)
0.4
Male sex
36 (47%)
63 (49%)
0.7
Prior AIDS-defining illness
20 (26%)
26 (20%)
0.3
Prior tuberculosis
51 (66%)
91 (71%)
0.5
Concurrent TB treatment
33 (43%)
52 (41%)
0.8
CSF India Ink
(n = 68)
(n = 121)
0.2
     Positive
56 (82%)
88 (73%)
0.2
CSF CLAT titer
(n = 50)
(n = 82)
0.9
     ≥ 1000
36 (72%)
57 (70%)
0.9
     < 1000
14 (28%)
25 (30%)

CSF fungal culture
(n = 29)
(n = 66)
0.07
     Positive
27 (93%)
51 (77%)
0.1
Level of consciousness



     Stage 1
45 (58%)
70 (55%)
0.9
     Stage 2
30 (39%)
54 (42%)

     Stage 3
2 (3%)
4 (3%)

Therapeutic lumbar punctures
(n = 7)
(n = 23)
0.12
     Single
4
14
1.0
     Multiple
3
9

Any treatment received



     Yes
62 (81%)
121 (95%)
<0.01
     No
15 (19%)
7 (5%)

Type of initial treatment received
(n = 62)
(n = 121)

     Fluconazole 200
45 (73%)
12 (10%)
<0.001
     Fluconazole 400
4 (6%)
109 (90%)

     Amphotericin B*
13 (21%)
0 (0%)


*This was only available at the local tertiary referral hospital. Following the donation referrals for amphotericin B were no longer accepted.

Schaars et al. BMC Infectious Diseases 2006 6:118   doi:10.1186/1471-2334-6-118