%0 Journal Article
%T Benign recurrent lymphocytic meningitis (Mollaret's meningitis) in Denmark: a nationwide cohort study.
%A Petersen PT
%A Bodilsen J
%A Jepsen MPG
%A Hansen BR
%A Storgaard M
%A Larsen L
%A Helweg-Larsen J
%A Wiese L
%A Lüttichau HR
%A Andersen CØ
%A Mogensen TH
%A Nielsen H
%A Brandt CT
%A  
%J Eur J Neurol
%V 31
%N 1
%D 2024 01 5
%M 37797296
%F 6.288
%R 10.1111/ene.16081
%X Data on clinical features and outcomes of benign recurrent lymphocytic meningitis (BRLM) are limited.<BR>This was a nationwide population-based cohort study of all adults hospitalized for BRLM associated with herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) at the departments of infectious diseases in Denmark from 2015 to 2020. Patients with single-episode HSV-2 meningitis were included for comparison.<BR>Forty-seven patients with BRLM (mean annual incidence 1.2/1,000,000 adults) and 118 with single-episode HSV-2 meningitis were included. The progression risk from HSV-2 meningitis to BRLM was 22% (95% confidence interval [CI] 15%-30%). The proportion of patients with the triad of headache, neck stiffness and photophobia/hyperacusis was similar between BRLM and single-episode HSV-2 meningitis (16/43 [37%] vs. 46/103 [45%]; p = 0.41), whilst the median cerebrospinal fluid leukocyte count was lower in BRLM (221 cells vs. 398 cells; p = 0.02). Unfavourable functional outcomes (Glasgow Outcome Scale score of 1-4) were less frequent in BRLM at all post-discharge follow-up visits. During the study period, 10 (21%) patients with BRLM were hospitalized for an additional recurrence (annual rate 6%, 95% CI 3%-12%). The hazard ratio for an additional recurrence was 3.93 (95% CI 1.02-15.3) for patients with three or more previous episodes of meningitis.<BR>Clinical features of BRLM were similar to those of single-episode HSV-2 meningitis, whilst post-discharge outcomes were more favourable. Patients with three or more previous episodes of meningitis had higher risk of an additional recurrence.