Audit of computed tomography brain findings in HIV-infected patients with space occupying infective lesions at a regional level hospital in KwaZulu-Natal

BACKGROUND: With the increased prevalence of HIV pandemic, more focus is placed on pathology involving the central nervous system secondary to HIV infection. Medical computerised tomography scans have become an integral investigation at a regional hospital level. OBJECTIVE: To provide a description of central nervous system space occupying infective lesion found within this cohort of patients. SETTING: Edendale Hospital, Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal. METHODS: This was a retrospective study in which the charts of all HIV-infected medical patients with findings of a space occupying infective lesion on computerised tomography brain seen for the time period 1 January 2015 up to and including 31 December 2015 were analysed. A total of 110 patient files were evaluated. RESULTS: Most patients were in the third to fourth decade of life with mean cluster of differentiation 4 of 125 cells/mm(3). A differential comprising toxoplasmosis or tuberculoma (80.9%) was the leading aetiology described. Most frequent clinical features in these patients included seizures (41.8%), confusion or altered mental state (38.2%), headaches (33.6%), hemiparesis (48.2%) and cranial nerve abnormality (22.7%). The most common central nervous system sites involved were, in order of decreasing prevalence was parietal, basal ganglia, frontal cortex (31.8% vs 31.8% vs 26.4%, respectively). Early initiation of co-trimoxazole and anti-tuberculosis treatment yielded better outcomes compared to the group who received delayed or no treatment with p-values (Pearson’s χ(2)) of 0.0002 and <0.0001, respectively. CONCLUSION: Computerised tomography scans to detect space-occupying infective lesion of the brain are invaluable for rapid diagnosis and to reduce morbidity and mortality.