Patient characteristics at diagnosis
| All (n=43) | Idiopathic (n=20) | SID (n=23) | p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Age, median (range) | 46 (19–82) | 47.5 (19–82) | 44 (23–69) | 0.728 |
| Female, n (%) | 26 (60) | 10 (50) | 16 (69.6) | 0.191 |
| Fever, n (%) | 15 (34.9) | 9 (45) | 6 (26.1) | 0.194 |
| Neurological signs, n (%) | 27 (62.7) | 9 (45) | 18 (78.3) | 0.024 |
| Cognitive disorders | 17 (39.5) | 6 (30) | 11 (47.8) | 0.233 |
| Focal neurological deficitsa | 15 (34.9) | 2 (10) | 13 (56.5) | 0.001 |
| Coma | 7 (16.3) | 3 (15) | 4 (17.4) | 0.832 |
| Abnormal involuntary movements | 4 (9.3) | 1 (5) | 3 (13) | 0.365 |
| Delirium | 3 (7) | 0 | 3 (13) | 0.054 |
| Seizure | 3 (7) | 0 | 3 (13) | 0.054 |
| Extraneurological signs, n (%) | 13 (30.2) | 2 (10) | 11 (47.8) | 0.007 |
| Uveitis | 5 (11.6) | 1 (5) | 5 (21.7) | 0.114 |
| Arthralgia | 7 (17.1) | 1 (5) | 6 (26.1) | 0.061 |
| Aphthous ulcers | 3 (7) | 0 | 3 (13) | 0.094 |
| Skin lesions b | 4 (9.3) | 0 | 4 (17.4) | 0.050 |
| High CRP level, c n (%) | 25 (58.1) | 14 (70) | 11 (47.8) | 0.141 |
| CSF analysis | ||||
| Protein level, median (range) | 0.62 (0.34–2.7) | 0.56 (0.34–1.94) | 1 (0.48–2.7) | 0.535 |
| High protein level, d n (%) | 34 (79) | 14 (70) | 20 (87) | 0.173 |
| Low glucose level, e n (%) | 8 (18.6) | 2 (10) | 6 (26.1) | 0.176 |
| Cells/mm 3, median (range) | 43 (6–2,000) | 26 (6–1,938) | 62 (6–2,000) | 0.726 |
| Lymphocytic meningitis, n (%) | 32 (74.4) | 14 (70) | 18 (78.3) | 0.535 |
| Neutrophilic meningitis, n (%) | 17 (39.5) | 7 (35) | 10 (43.5) | 0.570 |
↵aFocal neurological deficits included facial paralysis (n=7), hemiparesis/hemiplegia (n=5), cerebellar ataxia (n=5), diplopia (n=2), abnormal or impaired sensation (n=4) and language disorder (n=2). bSkin lesions included folliculitis (n = 2), malar rash (n=1), photosensitivity (n=1) and erythema nodosum (n=1). cA high CRP level was defined as >10 mg/L. dA high protein level in the CSF was defined as >0.4 g/L. eA low glucose level was defined as a reduction >50% compared with the serum glucose level.
CRP = C-reactive protein; CSF = cerebrospinal fluid; SID = systemic inflammatory disorders