title: Cerebrospinal fluid alpha-1-antitrypsin alpha-1-antitrypsin-elastase complex levels in meningitis.
abstract: Alpha-1-antitrypsin (A-1-AT) and A-1-AT-elastase complex levels in cerebrospinal fluid have been evaluated in 11 children with viral meningitis (VM), 14 with bacterial meningitis (BM), 10 with tuberculous meningitis (TBM) and 10 investigated for, but found not to have meningitis (NM). A-1-AT concentrations in the NM group were lower than in the BM group (P = 0.0002) and the TBM group (P = 0.0005) but did not differ from the concentrations in VM; those in the VM group were lower than in the BM group (P = 0.0001) and the TBM group (P = 0.003) but no difference was found between the BM and TBM groups. A-1-AT-elastase complex concentrations in CSF were lower in the NM group than the BM group (P = 0.0001) or the TBM group (P = 0.0089), however those in the BM group were significantly higher than in the TBM group (P = 0.0001). A significant correlation existed in CSF between the protein concentrations and neutrophil counts as well as the A-1-AT and A-1-AT-elastase complex concentrations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, Tygerberg Hospital, University of Stellenbosch, Cape Town, South Africa.
authors.forename: H D
authors.initials: HD
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Donald
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hanekom
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: De Beer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004769:Enterovirus Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006193:Haemophilus influenzae; D006801:Humans; D007122:Immunoelectrophoresis; D007223:Infant; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase; D008581:Meningitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000201:enzymology; D008583:Meningitis, Haemophilus / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008586:Meningitis, Pneumococcal / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008587:Meningitis, Viral / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae; D014390:Tuberculosis, Meningeal / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
chemical_list: D000515:alpha 1-Antitrypsin; C037741:alpha 1-antitrypsin-leukocyte elastase complex; D010196:Pancreatic Elastase; D019272:Leukocyte Elastase