A prospective study from a tertiary care facility in North India on the function of vascular endothelial growth factor in tuberculous meningitis

Abstract

The part that vascular endothelial-derived growth factor (VEFG) plays in the onset of tuberculous
meningitis (TBM) is still mostly unknown. We evaluated the role of VEFG in serum and CSF in TBM
prospectively. PARTICIPATES AND METHODS: In this prospective study, researchers observed
patients at a hospital in northern India from January 2018 to June 2019. 82 consecutive drug-naive
TBM patients who were diagnosed using modified Ahuja's criteria were included in the study. 49
healthy controls (n = 49) were used to compare the results. Serum and cerebral fluid levels of VEFG
were assessed in both patients and controls. 34 patients had their blood VEFG levels rechecked three
months after completing antitubercular therapy. The levels of VEFG were determined using the
human VEFG enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit.29.9 ± 13.1 years was the average age. These
are the outcomes. The study group consisted of 33 men and 49 women (59.8% and 40.2%,
respectively). Seventy-three patients (89%) had positive multiplex TB polymerase chain reaction
tests, while thirteen patients (18%) had positive BACTEC MGIT960 tests. Patients with TBM did not
have greater levels of VEFG in their serum or cerebrospinal fluid than the control group. Serum VEFG
level declines during follow-up were not linked to the final result in TBM. In conclusion, VEFG may
not have a major role in the emergence of TBM. Future studies with larger sample numbers could be
able to clarify the VEFG status in TBM further.