Affiliation:
1. Faculty of Medicine AlNeelain University Khartoum Sudan
2. The National Center for Neurological Science Khartoum Sudan
3. Faculty of Medicine University of Khartoum Khartoum Sudan
4. Faculty of Medicine University of Bakht Alruda Sudan
5. Lahore General Hospital Lahore Pakistan
Abstract
AbstractBackgroundTuberculosis (TB) can involve almost any organ of the body. In the central nervous system (CNS), it can cause Pott's disease, meningitis, tuberculoma, abscess, or other manifestations. Tuberculosis is rampant in the developing world and has become a significant public health menace with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) dissemination. This study aimed to determine the frequency of neurological manifestations of tuberculosis among adult Sudanese patients.MethodologyA hospital‐based cross‐sectional study carried out in the period from September to December 2020 at multineurological centers and hospitals in Khartoum State, including Ibrahim Malik Teaching Hospital, Alshaab Teaching Hospital, Bashier, Abu Anga, Omdurman Teaching Hospitals, included adult patients diagnosed with tuberculosis‐associated neurological manifestations. The data were collected by predesigned questionnaire, and then analyzed by computer using SPSS‐version 25.ResultsA total of 43 patients were evaluated, male patients were 24 (55.8%) and female patients were 19 (44.2%). About 31 (72.1%) of the participants had extra‐pulmonary TB and 12 (27.9%) had pulmonary and extrapulmonary TB. The neurological manifestations of tuberculosis include Pott's disease in 29 (67.4%) patients (with thoracic spine most affected part), tuberculoma was second‐most, occurring in 8 (18.7%) patients (with a single lesion in most of the patients), whereas tuberculous meningitis was found in 6 (13.9%). Clinical presentation was headache in 14 (32.6%) patients, convulsions in 10 (23.3%), loss of consciousness in 9 (20.9%), hemiparesis in 7 (16.3%) patients, and paraparesis in 23 (53.5%). Cranial nerve affected in 5 (11.6%) patients. All patients received antituberculosis medication and steroids, and 10 (23.2%) received anticonvulsants.ConclusionsNeurological tuberculosis should be ruled out in any young male from an endemic area who exhibits abnormalities in motor, sensory, special sense, or higher mental function. To avoid potentially fatal complications, diagnoses and treatments should be initiated as soon as possible.