title: Cytokines in the pathogenesis of bacterial meningitis.
abstract: Adjunctive dexamethasone therapy to antibiotic therapy for bacterial meningitis has been shown in several studies to be beneficial. The roles of interleukin 1 beta and tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha) in bacterial meningitis and in an experimental rabbit model are reviewed; both cytokines play a pivotal role in induction of meningitis. Using dexamethasone with the initial dose of antibiotics caused a decrease in TNF-alpha and modulated the inflammatory response. Early use of adjunctive dexamethasone is important in therapy of bacterial meningitis.
authors.affiliation: National Public Health Institute, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mertsola
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007375:Interleukin-1 / Q000502:physiology*; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D011817:Rabbits; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D007375:Interleukin-1; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D003907:Dexamethasone