Paradoxical response in patients with CNS tuberculosis.

AIM: To report paradoxical response, i.e. recurrence of appearance of fresh symptoms, physical and radiological signs in a patient who had previously shown improvement with appropriate anti-tubercular medicines.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Ten out of 58 patients of CNS tuberculosis, diagnosed on basis of clinical, laboratory and radiological data that initially showed clinical response to therapy only to deteriorate later were included in the study.

RESULTS: Out of ten, three were males and seven were female with age range 13 to 28 years. The duration of time between initiation of therapy and worsening of patient was from one to seven months. Nine out of ten patients developed fresh intracranial tuberculoma while one case otherwise showing improvement developed expansion of tuberculoma and other one of empyema developed tuberculoma while on therapy. All these cases responded to addition of second line therapy or increase in dose of drugs previously prescribed and introduction or increased dose of steroid.

CONCLUSIONS: Clinical judgement, regular follow up, guarded reassurance of patient is required to detect parodoxial response in CNS tuberculosis.