Criptococosis meníngea en pacientes con diabetes y sida / Cryptococcal meningitis in patients with diabetes and AIDS

INTRODUCCIÓN: La criptococosis meníngea es una de las patologías con mayor mortalidad en pacientes con sida. La diabetes mellitus (DM) comprende un grupo de enfermedades metabólicas que afecta a gran parte de la población mundial. La evolución de las infecciones en pacientes diabéticos ha demostrado ser siempre más grave. El objetivo de este trabajo fue analizar la evolución de pacientes con criptococosis meníngea, DM e infección por VIH, comparándola con la de enfermos VIH-positivos con criptococosis meníngea de similar gravedad, pero no diabéticos. MATERIALES Y MÉTODOS: Se analizaron las historias clínicas de 182 pacientes con diagnóstico de criptococosis meníngea. Fueron seleccionados 28 pacientes con características clinicoepidemiológicas similares, se los dividió en 2 grupos, 14 pacientes con DM (grupo A) y los restantes sin alteraciones en el metabolismo de los glúcidos (grupo B). RESULTADOS: Solo 3/14 pacientes del grupo A (21,4%) lograron la negativización del cultivo de LCR, antes de las 10 semanas de tratamiento. Con respecto al grupo B, esto sucedió en 11/14 enfermos (78,5%). La mortalidad global para el grupo A fue del 85,7% (12/14 pacientes), para el grupo B del 21,4% (3/14 pacientes). En todos los casos los aislamientos de Cryptococcus neoformans resultaron sensibles in vitro a la anfotericina B y al fluconazol. CONCLUSIONES: La vinculación de DM y meningitis por Cryptococcus spp. se asoció a la evolución desfavorable en la gran mayoría de los casos; esto plantea la posibilidad de extender el tratamiento de inducción

INTRODUCTION: Cryptococcal meningitis is a severe AIDS-related infectious disease, with a high mortality rate. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder very common worldwide. Infectious diseases in diabetic patients are always more severe than in non-diabetic ones. The aim of this study was to compare the outcome of a group of HIV-positive patients with DM and cryptococcal meningitis with a similar group HIV-positive patients with cryptococcal meningitis, but without DM. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 182 clinical records of HIV-positive patients suffering cryptococcal meningitis were reviewed, and 28 of them with similar clinical and epidemiological characteristics, were chosen. They included 14 patients with DM (group A) and the remaining 14 who did not suffer this metabolic disorder (group B). RESULTS: Only 21.4% (3/14 cases) of group A patients had negative CSF cultures after 10 weeks of treatment. In group B patients, 78.5% (11/14 cases) achieved negative CSF cultures before 10 weeks. A higher overall mortality rate was observed in the diabetic patients (85.7%, 12/14 cases) than in the non-diabetic group (21.4%, 3/14 cases). All CSF isolates were identified as Cryptococcus neoformans, and all strains were susceptible in vitro to amphotericin B and fluconazole. CONCLUSIONS: Cryptococcal meningitis in diabetic patients was associated with a poor clinical outcome and a high mortality rate. A longer treatment induction period is suggested in order to improve the outcome of cryptococcal meningitis in diabetic patients

[Cryptococcal meningitis in patients with diabetes and AIDS]. / Criptococosis meníngea en pacientes con diabetes y sida.

INTRODUCTION: Cryptococcal meningitis is a severe AIDS-related infectious disease, with a high mortality rate. Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder very common worldwide. Infectious diseases in diabetic patients are always more severe than in non-diabetic ones. The aim of this study was to compare the outcome of a group of HIV-positive patients with DM and cryptococcal meningitis with a similar group HIV-positive patients with cryptococcal meningitis, but without DM. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 182 clinical records of HIV-positive patients suffering cryptococcal meningitis were reviewed, and 28 of them with similar clinical and epidemiological characteristics, were chosen. They included 14 patients with DM (group A) and the remaining 14 who did not suffer this metabolic disorder (group B). RESULTS: Only 21.4% (3/14 cases) of group A patients had negative CSF cultures after 10 weeks of treatment. In group B patients, 78.5% (11/14 cases) achieved negative CSF cultures before 10 weeks. A higher overall mortality rate was observed in the diabetic patients (85.7%, 12/14 cases) than in the non-diabetic group (21.4%, 3/14 cases). All CSF isolates were identified as Cryptococcus neoformans, and all strains were susceptible in vitro to amphotericin B and fluconazole. CONCLUSIONS: Cryptococcal meningitis in diabetic patients was associated with a poor clinical outcome and a high mortality rate. A longer treatment induction period is suggested in order to improve the outcome of cryptococcal meningitis in diabetic patients.