SynthesisBrain and behavior2026
Efficacy and Safety of Corticosteroids in Tuberculous Meningitis: Systematic Review, Meta-Analysis, and Meta-Regression.
Synthesis in Brain and behavior, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Authors and funding
15 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundTuberculous meningitis (TBM) carries a case fatality rate of up to 50% in resource-limited settings despite standard anti-tuberculosis therapy. Adjunctive corticosteroids are widely recommended, yet their effect on mortality and safety across diverse populations remains imprecisely defined.
methodsWe conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized and quasi-randomized controlled trials identified through PubMed, Cochrane Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, Scopus, and Google Scholar up to May 2025. The outcomes were all-cause mortality, gastrointestinal bleeding, visual and auditory impairment, hydrocephalus, and joint disorders. Statistical heterogeneity was assessed using the I
resultsEleven studies enrolling 1917 patients were included. Corticosteroids significantly reduced all-cause mortality (RR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.76-0.94, p = 0.002) with low heterogeneity (I
conclusionAdjunctive corticosteroids, particularly dexamethasone, significantly reduce mortality in TBM without increasing major adverse effects. The absence of benefit in HIV-positive patients highlights the need for targeted trials in this subgroup and in pediatric populations.
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.