Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31437259›Full record

ArticlePloS one2019

Lumbar puncture for non-HIV-infected non-transplant patients with cryptococcosis: Should it be mandatory for all?

Sung-Hsi Huang, Yu-Chung Chuang, Yi-Chien Lee, Chien-Ching Hung, Wang-Huei Sheng, Jen Jen Su, Hsin-Yun Sun, Yee-Chun Chen, Shan-Chwen Chang

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
9citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.5field-weighted citation impact, top 32% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 9 citations in OpenAlex.

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  6. DisseminatedBMJ case reports · 2023
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Sung-Hsi HuangDepartment of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital Hsin-Chu Branch, Hsin-Chu, Taiwan.
Yu-Chung ChuangDepartment of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Yi-Chien LeeDepartment of Internal Medicine, Fu Jen Catholic University Hospital, New Taipei, Taiwan.
Chien-Ching HungDepartment of Tropical Medicine and Parasitology, National Taiwan University College of Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan.
Wang-Huei ShengDepartment of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Jen Jen SuDepartment of Neurology, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Hsin-Yun SunDepartment of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Yee-Chun ChenDepartment of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.ORCID 0000-0002-1816-9010
Shan-Chwen ChangDepartment of Internal Medicine, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
National Taiwan University · TWNational Taiwan University Hospital · TWFu Jen Catholic University · TW

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe indications for lumbar puncture in non-HIV-infected, non-transplant (NHNT) patients with cryptococcosis without meningeal signs need to be more fully defined.

objectivesThis study was designed to determine the optimal predictors of central nervous system (CNS) involvement in adult NHNT patients with cryptococcosis.

methodsThe study population consisted of adult NHNT patients with culture-confirmed cryptococcosis who sought care at a university hospital in Taiwan from 2002 to 2016. We used a case-control method to identify the clinical characteristics and laboratory findings associated with CNS involvement in patients who underwent a diagnostic lumbar puncture. In the sensitivity analysis, we included additional control patients who did not undergo lumbar puncture, but were followed beyond 12 months without the development of CNS involvement in the absence of exposure to any fungicidal agents.

resultsWe entered 270 NHNT adult patients into the study during the 15-year period. CNS involvement was confirmed in 66 (71.0%) of 93 patients who underwent lumbar puncture. A multivariable analysis revealed that presence of neurological manifestations and elevated serum CRAG titers were independently associated with a 23.97-fold (95% confidence interval [CI], 4.37-182.23) and 1.53-fold (per 2-fold increment, 95% CI 1.26-1.92) increased odds ratio for CNS involvement, respectively. Headache and focal neurologic signs were independently associated with CNS involvement. A cut-off serum CRAG titer of ≥1:64 provided the highest diagnostic performance by Youden index (sensitivity 83% and specificity 65%). Similar findings were noted in the sensitivity analysis including 198 (73%) patients.

conclusionLumbar puncture is indicated for NHNT patients with cryptococcosis who have neurologic manifestations or a serum CRAG titer of ≥1:64.

Indexed as

Spinal PunctureTransplantationAdultAgedAntigens, BacterialCentral Nervous SystemCryptococcosisHIV InfectionsHumansLumbar VertebraeMiddle AgedROC CurveAntigens, Bacterial

Identifiers

PMID31437259
PMCPMC6705819
OpenAlexW2969644368

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.