TREATMENT OF TUBERCULOUS MENINGITIS IN TURKEY

A prospective study was performed on 72 cases of tuberculous meningiti s studying various treatments. 37 patients were treated with a combina tion of isoniazid, rifampicin, pyrazinamide and streptomycin for 2 mon ths, followed by a combination of isoniazid and rifampicin for 6 month s. 35 patients were treated with various combinations of antituberculo us drugs for 12-16 months. Disappearance of symptoms took (mean) 17 da ys. Mean duration of therapy for the hospitalized patients was 36 +/- 4 days. Seven (9.7%) patients died, 5 in the short-course therapy grou p and 2 in the long-course therapy group. Sequelae persisted in 18 (31 %) cases, 8 of which cases were in the short-course therapy group and 10 in the long-course therapy group. No relapse was observed in either of the groups.