Objective: To assess the relationship between inflammatory changes in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and prognosis in patients with acute viral encephalitis (AVE).
Patients and methods: retrospective medical records analysis of 99 cases of AVE, 37 females and 62 males, age 4-71. Patients were assigned to 2 subgroups: group I--without inflammatory changes in CSF (cytosis < or = 10/mm3 - 40 cases) and group II--with detectable abnormalities in CSF (cytosis >10/mm3 - 59 cases). Long term prognosis and unfavorable outcome were assessed at the moment of discharge from hospital and with a use of questionnaire sent to patients and were described as: 0--complete recovery, 1--long-term disabilities, 2--death.
Main observations: Among 99 patients with acute viral encephalitis complete recovery was observed in 61% of cases, in 32% the disease resulted in long term consequences and disabilities and 7% died from reasons related to encephalitis.
Results: Patients without inflammatory changes in CSF statistically significantly (p < 0.05) more frequently suffered from coma, early epileptic episodes, respiratory disorders, unfavorable outcome and epilepsy. In a group II statistically significantly more often fever and Herpes simplex etiology were observed.
Conclusions: (1) Among 99 patients in 32% AVE resulted in long-term (subtle as well as severe) disabilities and 7% died from reasons related to AVE. (2) Patients without inflammatory abnormalities in CSF tended to have more severe clinical course and worse prognosis than those with detectable increase of CSF cytosis (>10 cells/mm3).