title: Beta-trace protein concentration in cerebrospinal fluid is decreased in patients with bacterial meningitis.
abstract: Although meninges represent a major site of biosynthesis, beta-trace protein (beta-trace) has not been studied in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of meningitis patients. We measured beta-trace in lumbar CSF of normal controls (n = 27) and in patients with various neurological diseases (n = 92) by an immunonephelometric assay. The mean concentration of beta-trace in CSF of control patients was 16.6+/-3.6 mg/l. In bacterial meningitis (n = 41), CSF beta-trace was significantly decreased (8.7+/-3.9 mg/l; P< 0.001), whereas in spinal canal stenosis it was elevated (29.2+/-10.3 mg/l; P= 0.002). In viral meningoencephalitis (n = 12), beta-trace CSF concentrations were normal. Beta-trace concentrations remained below the normal range even after curing of bacterial meningitis, and normalisation of CSF leucocytes and blood-CSF barrier function. Beta-trace may be a useful tool for studying the pathophysiology of bacterial meningitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, University of Göttingen, Germany. htumani@med.uni-goettingen.de
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Tumani
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Reiber
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Nau
authors.forename: H W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Prange
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kauffmann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mäder
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Felgenhauer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001609:Beta-Globulins / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000172:deficiency; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases; D054834:Lipocalins; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D008587:Meningitis, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D011129:Polyradiculoneuropathy / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D014390:Tuberculosis, Meningeal / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid
chemical_list: D001609:Beta-Globulins; D054834:Lipocalins; D019746:Intramolecular Oxidoreductases; C022466:prostaglandin R2 D-isomerase