title: [Procalcitonin (PCT) concentration in cerebrospinal fluid and plasma of patients with purulent and lymphocytic meningoencephalitis--own observations].
abstract: The aim of the study was assessment of usefulness of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and plasma procalcitonin concentration estimation in differential diagnosis of neuroinfections in adults. Examinations were carried out in 17 subjects with purulent, bacterial meningoencephalitis and in 16 patients with lymphocytic meningitis. In all individuals CSF and plasma PCT concentrations were assessed on the 1st day of hospitalization. In patients with purulent, bacterial meningoencephalitis mean CSF concentration was 0,63 ng/mL, mean plasma PCT concentration--9,97 ng/mL. Mean CSF PCT concentration in patients with lymphocytic meningitis was 0,23 ng/mL and mean plasma PCT concentration--0,27 ng/mL. Differences of mean PCT concentrations between both groups of patients were statistically significant: CSF--p<0,05 and plasma--p<0,01. Obtained results indicate usefulness of plasma PCT concentration estimation in differential diagnosis of neuroinfections in adults. Cerebrospinal fluid PCT concentration seems to be of lesser importance in differential diagnosis of neuroinfections, but value of this parameter often correlates with the severity of the clinical state of the patients and may be taken into consideration in prognosis of the course and outcome of the bacterial meningoencephalitis.
authors.affiliation: Oddział Chorób Zakaźnych Slaskiej Akademii Medycznej w Bytomiu, przy Klinice Chorób Płuc i Gruźlicy Slskiej Akademii Medycznej.
authors.forename: Lucjan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kepa
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Oczko-Grzesik
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Błedowski
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002116:Calcitonin / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008587:Meningitis, Viral / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008590:Meningoencephalitis / Q000097:blood / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011498:Protein Precursors / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*
chemical_list: C000606589:CALCA protein, human; D011498:Protein Precursors; D002116:Calcitonin; D015740:Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide