OBJECTIVE To analyze the characteristics of 57 acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) patients complicated with cryptococcal meningitis and observe the treatment outcomes.

METHODS Totally 57 AIDS patients with complicated cryptococcal meningitis who were treated in Guiyang Public Health Treatment Center from Jan. 2019 to Jun. 2023 were continuously assigned as the cryptococcal meningitis group, meanwhile, 57 patients with simple AIDS were chosen as the simple AIDS group based on a 1︰1 ratio matching case-control study. Both groups received standardized therapies on basis of the criteria. The clinical characteristics, T lymphocyte subsets, biochemical indexes and treatment outcomes were observed and compared between the two groups.

RESULTS There were no significant differences in gastrointestinal reactions, fever and eye discomfort between the two groups; the incidence of neurological symptoms of the cryptococcal meningitis group was higher than that of the simple AIDS group (P < 0.05). There was significant difference in the peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets between the cryptococcal meningitis group and the simple AIDS group (P < 0.05). The levels of whole blood CD₄⁺, CD₄⁺/CD₈⁺ and CD₈⁺ of the cryptococcal meningitis group were lower than those of the simple AIDS group; the serum glucose (GLU) level of the cryptococcal meningitis group was lower than that of the simple AIDS group; the serum adenosine deaminase (ADA) level of the cryptococcal meningitis group was higher than that of the simple AIDS group; the serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) level of the cryptococcal meningitis group was higher than that of the simple AIDS group (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in the immunological failure, virological failure and immunological failure plus virological failure between the two groups after the treatment for 6 months.

CONCLUSIONS The incidence of neurological symptoms is higher among the patients with AIDS complicated with cryptococcal meningitis than among the patients with simple AIDS. The patients have poor treatment outcomes and more severe damage of T lymphocyte subset functions, and the levels of biochemical indexes vary among the patients, which may provide bases for diagnosis of diseases and assessment of curative effect and prognosis.