Table 2 Detailed patients' characteristics compared between subacute and chronic meningitis

Age, mean, years

34.2

39.4

0.13

Gender

 Male

23/32 (71.9)

30/47 (63.8)

0.48

 Female

9/32 (28.1)

17/47 (36.2)

Symptoms

 Headache

29/32 (90.6)

40/47 (85.1)

0.73

 Fever

24/32 (75.0)

20/46 (43.5)

0.01

 Nausea/Vomiting

29/32 (90.6)

30/47 (63.8)

0.01

 Neurological symptoms^a

7/32 (21.9)

24/47 (51.1)

0.01

 Visual impairment

  Blurred vision

10/32 (31.3)

13 (27.7)

0.29

  Diplopia

4/32 (12.5)

14/47 (29.8)

  Photophobia

1/32 (3.1)

2/47 (4.3)

 Weight loss

1/32 (3.1)

5/47 (10.6)

0.39

 Night sweats

1/31 (3.2)

4/47 (8.5)

0.64

 Seizure

5/30 (16.7)

6/42 (14.3)

1.00

 Dyspnea

1/32 (3.1)

1/47 (2.1)

1.00

 Cough

1/32 (3.1)

4/47 (8.5)

0.64

 Tinnitus

1/32 (3.1)

0/47

0.40

Signs

 Altered mental status

10/32 (31.3)

11/46 (23.9)

 Nuchal rigidity

13/24 (54.2)

11/29 (37.9)

0.27

 Papillary edema

2/10 (20.0)

7/14 (50.0)

0.21

Laboratory analysis

 WBC count, mean, × 10⁹/L

10.8

9.0

0.18

 CSF analysis

  WBC count, mean, cells/mm³

2244.3

482.1

0.04

  Pleocytosis

   Neutrophilic

7/29 (24.1)

17/33 (51.5)

0.00

   Monocytic

22/29 (75.9)

12/33 (36.4)

   Lymphocytic

0/29

4/33 (12.1)

  Elevated protein

23/29 (79.3)

26/38 (68.4)

0.40

  Decreased glucose

25/27 (92.6)

22/27 (81.5)

0.42

Radiology

 Normal brain CT scan

13/17 (76.5)

11/18 (61.1)

0.39

 Normal brain MRI

6/8 (75.0)

9/17 (52.9)

0.67

Management

 Steroid therapy

14/32 (43.8)

17/35 (48.6)

0.80

 Anti-TB therapy

13/32 (40.6)

13/45 (28.9)

0.33

 Empirical acyclovir therapy

11/31 (35.5)

12/33 (36.4)

1.00

 Empirical antibiotic therapy

28/30 (93.3)

27/30 (90.0)

1.00

Death

7/31 (22.6)

5/44 (11.4)

0.22