Balancing between apoptosis and survival biomarkers in the patients with tuberculous meningitis

•TBM patients had higher expression of death and suppression of survival biomarkers.•Caspase-3 positively correlated with TNFα, IL6 and MDA.•Caspase-3 negatively correlated with XIAP, GSH and catalase.•Caspase-3 expression was higher in patients with definite TBM.•Patients who died had higher expression of caspase-3 and suppression of XIAP.