PURPOSE: Despite the advent of new and more potent antibiotics, mortality and morbidity rates due to bacterial meningitis remain stagnant. Rapid detection of microorganism and early antibiotics treatment are the most important prognostic factors of bacterial meningitis. For early diagnosis of bacterial meningitis biochemical markers such as lactic dehydrogenase, lactic acid, C-reactive proteia have been measured in cerebrospinal fluid. Ferritin is a large, spherical molecule with propensity for oligomer formation, which causes low concentration in cerebrospinal fluid. METHODS: From May 1996 to July 1999, cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) ferritin was serially measured in 84 children who were admitted to Chonnam Natuional University Hospital Pediatric Department for evaluation of the diagnostic value of CSF ferritin in bacterial meningitis. They were divided into three groups-control(20), aseptic(40), bacterial(24)-according to inclusion criteria for each group. RESULTS: CSF ferritin level in bacterial meningitis(52.94+/-3.19ng/mL) was much higher than those of aseptic(5.26+/-2.07ng/mL), and control(3.01+/-2.52ng/mL) groups(P<0.05). CSF ferritin level of 9.20ng/mL was suggested as a cut-off value for bacterial meningitis on ROC curve(sensitivity: 92 %, specificity:81%). CSF ferritin levels were positively correlated with CSF WBC(r=0.699) and protein(r=0.734) and negatively correlated with CSF glucose(r=-0.609) (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: CSF ferritin could be a good indicator for bacterial meningitis in children.
Anti-Bacterial Agents ; Biomarkers ; Cerebrospinal Fluid* ; Child* ; Early Diagnosis ; Ferritins* ; Humans ; Jeollanam-do ; Lactic Acid ; Meningitis* ; Meningitis, Bacterial ; Mortality ; Oxidoreductases