Serum and cerebrospinal fluid interleukin-6 and interleukin-8 levels in children with tuberculous, bacterial and aseptic meningitis

Abstract

Purpose: It is aimed to to determine the concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and IL-8 levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and serum of the patients with tuberculous meningitis (TBM), bacterial meningitis (BM), and aseptic meningitis (AM). Methods: Thirty-eight children with meningitis (20 boys and 18 girls) who had no previous antibiotic therapy and 12 controls (6 boys and 6 girls) were included in this study. IL-6 and IL-8 concentrations in serum and CSF samples of 10 patients with TBM, 17 with BM, and 11 with AM were measured by a quantitative solid phase enzyme amplified sensitivity immunoassay. The inflammatory parameters of CSF such as leukocyte, protein, and glucose levels were also measured. Results: The mean serum and CSF levels of IL-6 and IL-8 in children with TBM and BM were significantly higher than those patients with aseptic meningitis and the controls. While the mean CSF IL-6 and IL-8 levels were found to be higher than serum IL-6 and IL-8 levels in patients with BM and TBM, there were no significant differences between serum and CSF IL-6 and IL-8 levels in patients with AM and the control group. Conclusion: As IL-6 and IL-8 levels were not increased in every patient and overlap the levels of the control group; apparently high levels may be considered as a supportive finding for the early diagnosis of TBM and BM.