Levofloxacin is an effective bactericidal category III antitubercular drug. There is paucity of studies comparing the role of additional levofloxacin to standard antitubercular regimen in the patients with tuberculous meningitis (TBM).

To compare the safety and efficacy of adding levofloxacin to standard four drug ATT regimen (RHZE).

The patients with TBM diagnosed on the basis of clinical, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and MRI criteria were included. Children below 15 years, patients with pregnancy, seizures, liver failure, kidney failure and malignancy were excluded. The baseline clinical, CSF and MRI characteristics were noted and consciousness was evaluated by Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS). The patients were randomized to RHZE (rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide and ethambutol) and RHZEL (RHZE and levofloxacin) groups. Outcome was defined at 6 months. Primary outcome was death and secondary outcomes were disability as assess by Barthel Index score and adverse events.

Out of 110 TBM patients screened, 57 fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Their median age was 35 (15–75) years. 29 patients received RHZEL and 28 RHZE. The baseline clinical, biochemical and MRI characteristics were similar in the two groups. At 6 months, 11 (19.3%) patients died, 38 (66.7%) had good and 7 (12.3%) poor outcome. There was insignificant survival benefit in RHZEL group compared to RHZE (HR-2.61, 95% CI 0.73–9.36, P = 0.14), 25% patients died in RHZE where as 13.8% in RHZEL group. The disability was not significantly different between the two groups. The composite side effects were also similar between the two groups except for a higher frequency of seizure in RHZEL group (5 Vs 0) which resulted in withdrawal of levofloxacin.

There was insignificant survival benefit in RHZEL which was associated with high frequency of seizures.