Visual pathway abnormalities in tuberculous meningitis

J Clin Neurosci. 2016 Nov:33:205-208. doi: 10.1016/j.jocn.2016.04.009. Epub 2016 Sep 6.

Abstract

Ophthalmological complications are common and disabling in patients with tuberculous meningitis. We aimed to study the visual pathway abnormalities in patients with tuberculous meningitis. Forty-three patients with tuberculous meningitis were subjected to visual evoked responses (VER) and neuroophthalmologic assessment. Neuroophthalmologic assessment revealed abnormalities in 22 (51.3%) patients. VER were found to be abnormal in 27 (62.8%) patients. The VER abnormalities included prolonged P100 latencies with relatively normal amplitude and significant interocular latency differences. Visual pathways abnormalities are common in patients with tuberculous meningitis and are often subclinical. Pathophysiologic explanations for electrophysiological abnormalities on VER in these patients are incompletely understood and needs further exploration.

Keywords: Neuro-ophthalmology; Tuberculous meningitis; Vision loss; Visual evoked response; Visual pathways.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Electroencephalography
  • Evoked Potentials, Visual
  • Eye Diseases / etiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Neurologic Examination
  • Tuberculosis, Meningeal / diagnostic imaging
  • Tuberculosis, Meningeal / physiopathology*
  • Vision Disorders / diagnostic imaging
  • Vision Disorders / physiopathology*
  • Visual Acuity
  • Visual Pathways / physiopathology*
  • Young Adult