Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39419774›Full record

ArticleMedical mycology2024

Clinical importance of cerebrospinal fluid protein levels in HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis: Insights from a prospective cohort study in Uganda.

John Kasibante, Eesha Irfanullah, Abduljewad Wele, Elizabeth C Okafor, Kenneth Ssebambulidde, Samuel Okurut, Enock Kagimu, Jane Gakuru, Morris K Rutakingirwa, Timothy Mugabi and 11 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Medical mycology, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Review
  2. The Pain Is in the Brain With the Sugar-Coated Killer.The Journal of infectious diseases · 2025
    Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

21 authors.

John KasibanteInfectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda.ORCID 0000-0002-7252-4052
Eesha IrfanullahDepartment of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases & International Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Abduljewad WeleDepartment of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases & International Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Elizabeth C OkaforDepartment of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases & International Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Kenneth SsebambuliddeInfectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda.ORCID 0000-0002-8125-0698
Samuel OkurutInfectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda.
Enock KagimuInfectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda.ORCID 0000-0002-0291-651X
Jane GakuruInfectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda.ORCID 0000-0003-0150-4887
Morris K RutakingirwaInfectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda.
Timothy MugabiInfectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda.
Edwin NuwagiraDepartment of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda.
Samuel JjunjuInfectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda.
Edward MpozaInfectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda.
Lillian TugumeInfectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda.
Laura NsangiInfectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda.
Abdu K MusibireInfectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda.
Conrad MuzooraDepartment of Medicine, Mbarara University of Science and Technology, Mbarara, Uganda.
Joshua RheinDepartment of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases & International Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
David B MeyaInfectious Diseases Institute, College of Health Sciences, Makerere University, P.O. Box 22418, Kampala, Uganda.ORCID 0000-0002-8854-0321
David R BoulwareDepartment of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases & International Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.
Mahsa AbassiDepartment of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases & International Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, USA.ORCID 0000-0001-9601-3006

Funding

NPGH LEADERs YR12: OBSSR (Greenberg, Ngwafong Mukere) & NIBIB (Lee)D43TW009345 · FIC · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · PI Dibyadyuti Datta, Chandy C. John · 2017 to 2026
$15.2M
Improving Diagnostics and Neurocognitive Outcomes in HIV/AIDS-related MeningitisR01NS086312 · NINDS · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · PI David R Boulware, David Bisagaya Meya · 2013 to 2026
$8.3M
Infectious Disease Training in Clinical InvestigationT32AI055433 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA TWIN CITIES · PI David R Boulware · 2003 to 2026
$6.1M
Northern/Pacific Universities Global Health Research Training ConsortiumR25TW009345 · FIC · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · PI KOLARS, JOSEPH C., NERURKAR, VIVEK RAMCHANDRA · 2012 to 2016
$5.9M
Multi-morbidity in Uganda Research Capacity Initiative (MURCI) at Mbarara University of Science and TechnologyD43TW011632 · FIC · MBARARA UNIVERSITY/SCIENCE/ TECHNOLOGY · PI BAJUNIRWE, FRANCIS · 2020 to 2024
$1.2M
Targeting Neuropathogenesis of Altered Mental Status to Improve Survival in Cryptococcal MeningitisK23NS122601 · NINDS · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · PI ABASSI, MAHSA · 2021 to 2025
$1.1M
Improving Outcomes of HIV-Associated Cryptococcosis in Resource-Limited SettingsK01TW010268 · FIC · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · PI RHEIN, JOSHUA R · 2016 to 2020
$703k
Medical Student Summer Research Program in Infection and ImmunityT35AI118620 · NIAID · UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA · PI MUELLER, DANIEL L · 2015 to 2025
$351k
Improving Diagnostic Strategies for Post-Tuberculosis Lung Disease in Ugandan Primary Healthcare SettingsK43TW012781 · FIC · MBARARA UNIVERSITY/SCIENCE/ TECHNOLOGY · PI Edwin Nuwagira · 2024 to 2026
$327k
European and Developing Countries Clinical Trials Partnership TRIA2015-1092FIC NIH HHS D43 TW009345FIC NIH HHS D43 TW011632FIC NIH HHS K01 TW010268FIC NIH HHS K01TW010268FIC NIH HHS K43 TW012781FIC NIH HHS R25 TW009345Grand Challenges Canada S4-0296-01National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases T32AI055433National Institute of Neurologic Diseases and Stroke R01NS086312NIAID NIH HHS T32 AI055433NIAID NIH HHS T35 AI118620NINDS NIH HHS K23 NS122601NINDS NIH HHS R01 NS086312United Kingdom Medical Research Council/Department for International International Developement/Wellcome Trust Global Clinical Trials M007413/1Wellcome Trust
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) protein levels exhibit high variability in HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis; however, its clinical implications remain unclear. We analyzed data from 890 adults with HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis randomized into two clinical trials in Uganda between 2015 and 2021. CSF protein was grouped into < 100 mg/dl (72%, n = 641) and ≥ 100 mg/dl (28%, n = 249). We described baseline clinical variables and 18-week mortality by CSF protein groups. Those with CSF protein ≥ 100 mg/dl were more likely to present with Glasgow coma scale score < 15 (P < .01), self-reported seizures at baseline (P = .02), higher CD4 T-cell count (P < .001), and higher CSF white blood cells (P < .001). Moreover, those with a baseline CSF protein ≥ 100 mg/dl also had a lower baseline CSF fungal burden (P < .001) and a higher percentage of sterile CSF cultures at day 14 (P = .02). Individuals with CSF protein ≥ 100 mg/dl demonstrated a more pronounced immune response consisting of upregulation of immune effector molecules, pro-inflammatory cytokines, T-helper cell type 1 and 17 cytokines, and immune-exhaustion marker (P < .05). 18-week mortality risk in individuals with a CSF protein < 100 mg/dl was 34% higher (unadjusted Hazard Ratio 1.34; 95% Confidence Interval, 1.05-1.70; P = .02) than those with CSF protein ≥ 100 mg/dl. In HIV-associated cryptococcal meningitis, individuals with baseline CSF protein ≥ 100 mg/dl more frequently presented with neurological symptoms, higher CSF inflammatory cytokines, reduced fungal burden, and lower mortality risk. The findings underscore the prognostic significance of baseline CSF protein levels in predicting disease severity and mortality risk in cryptococcal meningitis.

Indexed as

Cerebrospinal Fluid ProteinsHIV InfectionsMeningitis, CryptococcalAdultAIDS-Related Opportunistic InfectionsCD4 Lymphocyte CountClinical RelevanceCytokinesFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedProspective StudiesUgandaCerebrospinal Fluid ProteinsCytokinesbiomarkerscryptococcal meningitisCSF cytokinesCSF proteinHIV

Identifiers

PMID39419774
PMCPMC11520412

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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.