IL-6 and IL-8 in cerebrospinal fluid from patients with aseptic meningitis and bacterial meningitis: their potential role as a marker for differential diagnosis

• Published in: The Brazilian journal of infectious diseases 2011-03, Vol.15 (2), p.156-158
• Main Authors: Pinto Junior, Vitor Laerte Laerte, Rebelo, Maria Cristina, Gomes, Rachel Novaes, de Assis, Edson Fernandes, Castro-Faria-Neto, Hugo C., Bóia, Marcio Neves
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; aseptic meningitis; bacteria; Bacterial meningitis; Biomarkers - cerebrospinal fluid; Case-Control Studies; Child; Child, Preschool; CSF; Cytokines; Diagnosis; Diagnosis, Differential; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; Female; Humans; IL-6; IL-8; Infant; Infant, Newborn; inflammation meningitis; Interleukin-6 - cerebrospinal fluid; Interleukin-8 - cerebrospinal fluid; Male; Meningitis, Aseptic - cerebrospinal fluid; Meningitis, Aseptic - diagnosis; Meningitis, Bacterial - cerebrospinal fluid; Meningitis, Bacterial - diagnosis; Middle Aged; Sensitivity and Specificity; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1413-8670; 1678-4391
• DOI: 10.1016/S1413-8670(11)70162-3

Cytokines are molecules that act as mediators of immune response; cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) IL-6 is found in all meningeal inflammatory diseases, but IL-8 is associated with acute bacterial meningitis (ABM). A case control study was done to ascertain the discriminatory power of these cytokines in differentiating ABM from aseptic meningitis (AM); IL-6 and IL-8 CSF concentrations were tested through ELISA in samples collected from patients who underwent investigation for meningitis. Sixty patients, 18 with AM, nine with bacteriologic confirmed ABM and 33 controls, assisted in 2005 (MA and controls) and 2007 (ABM) were included. Differently from controls, IL-6 concentrations were increased both in MA and ABM patients (p