Fibrin degradation products in the serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with group A meningococcal meningitis.
Forty-one patients suffering from group A meningococcal meningitis in an area within the epidemic meningococcal belt of tropical West Africa were studied. The serum of only two of these patients contained fibrin degradation products (FDPs). The cerebrospinal fluid of 21 of these cases was also examined for FDPs, which were present in 13. Their presence in the cerebrospinal fluid was associated with a poor prognosis.
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001769:Blood; D001772:Blood Cell Count; D001792:Blood Platelets; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004211:Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation / Q000175:diagnosis; D005260:Female; D005337:Fibrin / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000378:metabolism*; D006385:Hemagglutination Inhibition Tests; D006801:Humans; D005779:Immunodiffusion; D007122:Immunoelectrophoresis; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008585:Meningitis, Meningococcal / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000150:complications / Q000378:metabolism*; D011379:Prognosis
D005337:Fibrin