ACUTE-PHASE PROTEINS IN SERUM AND CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID IN THE COURSE OF BACTERIAL-MENINGITIS

We carried out estimations of the following acute phase proteins: C-re active protein (CRP), alpha-1-antitrypsin (AAT), alpha-1-acid glycopro tein (AAG), alpha-2-ceruloplasmin (CER), and alpha-2-haptoglobin (HPT) in serum and in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) in patients with bacterial meningitis (BM, n = 30) and viral meningitis (VM, n = 30). We have sho wn that determinations of concentrations of AAG and CRP in serum and C ER in CSF are useful in differentiation between BM and VM. The diagnos tic power of these three tests (the areas under their ROC curves equal 0.942, 0.929, and 0.931, respectively) is bigger, though statisticall y not significantly, than that of traditional parameters of BM in CSF, i.e., total protein concentration and white blood cell count. Determi nation of AAG, CRP, and AAT in serum is a valuable monitoring marker i n the course of BM treatment. Convenience of serum sampling constitute s an advantage over traditional BM parameters in CSF.