Frequency of functional outcome and predictors of mortality in patients with tuberculous meningitis at tertiary care hospital Karachi
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.61529/idjp.v35i3.597Abstract
Background: Tuberculous meningitis is a severe form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis associated with significant neurological disability and mortality. To determine the frequency of functional outcome and predictors of mortality in patients presenting with tuberculous meningitis at Tertiary Care Hospital, Karachi.
Material and Methods: This descriptive, longitudinal study was carried out in the Department of Neurology, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Karachi from February 2026 to July 2026. All patients with tuberculous meningitis were recruited using a non-probability consecutive sampling method. Functional outcomes were evaluated after admission at 90 days with the modified Rankin Scale [mRS] of which good functional outcome was considered as mRS ≤2 and poor functional outcome as mRS 3–6. British Medical Research Council (BMRC) staging system was used. A p-value ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant.
Results: Among 147 patients with tuberculous meningitis, the median age was 41.0 years (IQR: 31.0–55.0), and 89 (60.5%) were male. Mortality was significantly higher among patients with BMRC Stage III disease than among those with Stage I/II disease (60.9% vs. 22.8%, p<0.001). On multivariable logistic regression analysis, mechanical ventilation (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]=6.92, 95% CI: 2.41–19.84, p<0.001), BMRC Stage III disease (AOR=4.58, 95% CI: 2.01–10.42, p<0.001), hydrocephalus (AOR=3.37, 95% CI: 1.42–7.98, p=0.006), and serum sodium ≤125 mmol/L (AOR=2.76, 95% CI: 1.12–6.79, p=0.027) were independently associated with increased odds of mortality.
Conclusions: Despite treatment, tuberculous meningitis was found to be associated with significant mortality and functional disability.
Keywords: Tuberculous meningitis, Functional outcome, Modified Rankin Scale, Prognostic factors.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Dr Hafiza Neelam Zulfiqar Lakhani, Dr Khalid Sher, Dr Barkha, Dr Munir Afzal, Dr Muhammad Nawaz, Dr Yumna Aijaz
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