title: Cerebrospinal fluid interleukin-6 concentration in patients with purulent, bacterial meningitis - own observations.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed at evaluating the usefulness of determining cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) interleukin-6 (IL-6) concentration in adults with purulent, bacterial meningoencephalitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A study group consisted of 16 patients hospitalized in the Department of Infectious Diseases of the Medical University of Silesia in Bytom in 2008 - 2012 due to purulent, bacterial meningoencephalitis. All of them were classified into two groups based on clinical severity, assessed on admission: group I - severe condition, group II - moderately severe or mild condition. CSF IL-6 concentration was measured in all patients on the first day of hospitalization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean concentrations of IL-6 in CSF were assessed at 391.54 pg/mL and 110.51 pg/mL in patients in severe (group I) and moderately severe or mild condition (group II), respectively. Differences between CSF mean concentrations of this cytokine in both groups were statistically significant (p<0.01). No correlations between CSF IL-6 concentrations and other CSF inflammatory parameters were determined. Control testing performed in 5 patients of group I revealed only slight decrease of CSF IL-6 concentration in fatal cases. In case of patients who recovered from disease, IL-6 concentration in CSF was evidently decreased compared to its initial value.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest the usefulness of determining CSF interleukin-6 concentration to estimate inflammation intensity in the subarachnoid space, and indirectly, patient's clinical severity. IL-6 concentration may be also of prognostic importance in purulent, bacterial meningoencephalitis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases in Bytom Medical University of Silesia in Katowice.
authors.forename: Lucjan
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kępa
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases in Bytom Medical University of Silesia in Katowice.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Oczko-Grzesik
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious Diseases in Bytom Medical University of Silesia in Katowice.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Boroń-Kaczmarska
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D008297:Male; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008590:Meningoencephalitis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008875:Middle Aged; D011379:Prognosis; D012720:Severity of Illness Index
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D015850:Interleukin-6