Abstract

NODA ALBELO, Amauri; ARANA ROSAINS, Manuel; VIDAL TALLET, Arturo  and  CASAL MENENDEZ, Xiomara. Interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein and its prognosis and differentiation value in meningitis. Rev Cubana Pediatr [online]. 2009, vol.81, n.2. ISSN 0034-7531.

INTRODUCTION: Meningitis is characterized by a marked inflammatory response in subarachnoid space, accompanied by the intrathecal production of many mediators including cytokines as á-tumor necrosis factor, â-interleukin-1 and interleukin-6. The aim of present paper was to estimate the concentration of interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and in serum from meningitis patients; to determine the possible relation among these concentrations, and meningitis etiology, and to set if there is an association among these variables and hospital stay. METHODS: A sample of 18 patients presenting with meningitis was selected: 6 patients diagnosed with meningitis of bacterial origin and 12 patients diagnosed with aseptic meningitis. In both groups we quantified interleukin-6 and C-reactive protein in CSF and in serum, as well as cytology and proteins in CSF. RESULTS: Concentrations of interleukin-6 in CSF in bacterial meningitis were higher than those of serum from these patients, and than those of CSF and serum from aseptic meningitis patients. C-reactive protein reached figures higher in bacterial meningitis serum. Interleukin-6 concentration in CSF was directly correlated with hospital stay. CONCLUSIONS: Interleukin-6 in CSF and of C-reactive protein in serum may to contribute to the accuracy in differential diagnosis between aseptic meningitis and the bacterial one. Interleukin-6 concentration in CSF allows us to assess the significance of inflammatory process in the CNS in meningitis. The selectively high interleukin-6 concentration in CSF is a marker to compartmentalize the inflammatory response, and a potential damage indicator in CNS in bacterial meningitis.

Keywords : Prognostic value; interleukin-6, C-reactive protein; meningitis.

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