
The Role of Magnesium Sulphate in Tuberculous Meningitis
848-850
Correspondence
Dr P.K.Maheshwari Prof.& Head, Neurology Divison, P.G.Department of Medicine, S.N.M.C.,Agra-282003 (INDIA) Phone: 9997026852 E-mail: pkmaheshwari2011@gmail.com
Context: Magnesium sulphate (MgSO4) has been studied for its beneficial role in traumatic brain injury (TBI) and ischaemic cerebral infarcts as it decreases the oxidative stress and increases the cerebral perfusion. The present study was done for evaluating its role in tuberculous meningitis (TBM).
Aims: To study the role of intravenous magnesium sulphate in tuberculous meningitis.
Methods and Material: The present study had 40 cases of tuberculous meningitis which comprised of 20 cases of group A(n-20) as contols for the study group B (n-20). The study group (Group B) was given intravenous magnesium sulphate 2 gm six hourly for 7 days additionally than the control group (Group A) which was treated with steroids and anti-tubercular drugs. The outcome was measured by using the Barthel Index (BI) and the Modified Rankin Scale (MRS) on the first day, the seventh day and after six weeks. The cases with arteritis in the two groups were compared separately.
Statistical analysis: The results were analyzed by using the SPSS software and the unpaired t-test with p-values.
Results: The means of the changes in the MRS and the BI of the Groups A and B were not statistically significant. When the means of the changes in the BI and the MRS were compared in the arteritis cases of the two groups separately, they were found to be statistically significant with a p value <0.05.
Conclusions: Magnesium sulphate had a statistically significant role in TBM with tuberculous arteritis and it had a statistically nonsignificant role in TBM without arteritis.