Author/Editor		Jereb, Matjaž; Muzlovič, Igor; Hojker, Sergej; Strle, Franc
Title		Diagnostična vloga prokalcitonina pri bolnikih z gnojnim menigitisom
Translated title		Diagnostic value of procalcitonin in patients with bacterial meningitis
Type		članek
Source		In: Bručan A, Gričar M, editors. Urgentna medicina: izbrana poglavja 6. Zbornik 7. mednarodni simpozij o urgentni medicini; 2000 jun 14-17; Portorož. Ljubljana: Slovensko združenje za urgentno medicino,
Publication year		2000
Volume		str. 249-56
Language		slo
Abstract		Meningitis is a common disease in our place. Particularly in case of bacterial central nervous system infection continues to cause significant mortality, despite advances in antibiotic and intensive care therapy. Rapid diagnosis and therapy have crucial influence on clinical outcomes. Patients with viral meningitis have not so rarely clinical and laboratory parameters of bacterial infection which usually lead in unnecessary antibiotic therapy. Delay of antimicrobial treatment could be on the other side fatal in case of noncharacteristic bacterial meningitis. Last years we found in literature many studys with new inflammation peptid procalcitonin (PCT), which increases in the setting of bacterial infection. In this study we wanted to find out is there any difference in plasma PCT level between patients with bacterial meningitis and patients with viral infection of central nervous system, and if measurement of PCT level in cerebrospinal fluid might have additional diagnostic value. 17 patients with purulent and 28 patients with aseptic meningitis were included in the prospective clinical study. The mean plasma PCT level in patients with purulent meningitis was 11,50 ng/ml and mean plasma PCT level in patients with aseptic meningitis was 0,28 ng/ml (p<0,001). Two patients in purulent meningitis group had plasma PCT level under a cutoff value of 0,5 ng/ml. In both cases Listeria monocytogenes has been isolated from cerebrospinal fluid. No one in aseptic meningitis group had eleveted PCT level. Eight patients with purulent meningitis had eleveted PCT level in cerebrospinal fluid too and in all cases PCT in plasma was high. The measurement of PCT in plasma and cerebrospinal fluid might be of value in the differential diagnosis of meningitis due to either bacteria or viruses. PCT value higher then 0,5 ng/ml appears to be a reliable tool for diagnosis of bacterial central nervous system infection.
Descriptors		MENINGITIS, BACTERIAL CALCITONIN MENINGITIS, VIRAL SENSITIVITY AND SPECIFICITY