Week 2
At week 2, 7 patients did not undergo LP. Six of them died
before week 2, and LP was precluded in 1 patient because
of the presence of a cerebral mass, probably related to
toxoplasmosis. Thirty-six patients (77%) had normal mental
status, CSF cultures were negative in 12 patients (25%) and
a successful clinical response was obtained in 39 patients
(83%). The median CSF antigen titer declined to 2048, and
in 35 patients (74%) the titers were 1024. The median CSF
opening pressure was 165 mm H2O, and 22 patients (47%)
had CSF opening pressures 200 mm H2O (Table 2). During
the initial phase of treatment, repeated therapeutic lumbar
punctures were performed on 25 patients (53%), and
27 patients (57%) received 7 additional days (21 total
days) of Amph B because of having met the previously described
severity criteria.