What to Expect in HIV-Infected Patients with Severe Cerebral Toxoplasmosis

Little information is available on clinical outcomes of HIV-infected patients with severe cerebral toxoplasmosis in the era of effective combination antiretroviral therapy (ART) — or on the safety and efficacy of steroids in such patients who develop cerebral edema. To address these issues, investigators retrospectively evaluated neurologic outcomes in consecutive patients with HIV infection and cerebral toxoplasmosis who were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) of any of five hospitals in France between 2000 and 2011.

Of 100 patients who met inclusion criteria, 67 were admitted for impaired consciousness, 22 for status epilepticus, and 11 for respiratory failure. Seventy-three patients received sulfadiazine and pyrimethamine (first-li…