Abstract:

Objective To determine C reactive protein and adenosine deaminase in cerebrospinal fluid, and to investigate the clinical diagnosis significance for tuberculosis meningitis, purulent meningitis and viral meningitis.Methods A total of 315 children with meningitis (102 cases of tuberculosis meningitis, 108 cases of purulent meningitis and 105 cases of viral meningitis) were enrolled, 96 children undergoing operation without meningitis were enrolled as control group, and their cerebrospinal fluid samples were collected. The levels of C reactive protein and adenosine deaminase were determined, and the results were compared. Results C reactive protein and adenosine deaminase in control and viral meningitis groups were significantly lower than those in tuberculosis and purulent meningitis groups (P < 0.05). Viral meningitis and control groups had no statistical significance (P>0.05). C reactive protein in purulent meningitis group was higher than that in tuberculosis meningitis group(P<0.05), and adenosine deaminase was lower than that in tuberculosis meningitis group (P < 0.05). C reactive protein in purulent meningitis group was positive, and the positive rate was 100%. There were 63 positive cases in tuberculosis meningitis group, and the positive rate was 61.76%. That in viral meningtis was negative. Conclusions In cerebrospinal fluid, C reactive protein and adenosine deaminase determinations have important reference significance for the differential diagnosis of bacterial meningitis (purulent meningitis and tuberculosis meningitis) and viral meningitis. Adenosine deaminase may be a good indicator for the diagnosis of tuberculosis meningitis,in order to provide the reference for the early diagnosis of various types of meningitis.

Key words: C reactive protein, Adenosine deaminase, Cerebrospinal fluid, Nervous system disease