IL-6 and IL-8 in cerebrospinal fluid from patients with aseptic meningitis and bacterial meningitis: their potential role as a marker for differential diagnosis

Abstract

Cytokines are molecules that act as mediators of immune response; cerebral spinal fuid (CSF) IL-6 is found in all meningeal infammatory diseases, but IL-8 is associated with acute bacterial meningitis (ABM). A case control study was done to ascertain the discriminatory power of these cytokines in differentiating ABM from aseptic meningitis (AM); IL-6 and IL-8 CSF concentrations were tested through ELISA in samples collected from patients who underwent investigation for meningitis. Sixty patients, 18 with AM, nine with bacteriologic confrmed ABM and 33 controls, assisted in 2005 (MA and controls) and 2007 (ABM) were included. Differently from controls, IL-6 concentrations were increased both in MA and ABM patients (p < 0.05). CSF IL-8 levels were higher in ABM than in AM and controls (p < 0.05). Discriminatory power in ABM as assessed by the area under receiver operator (ROC) curve was 0.951 for IL-8, using a cut-of of 1.685 ng/dL (100% of sensitivity and 94% of Specificity). The CSF concentration of both IL-6 and IL-8 are increased in the presence of meningeal infammation, IL-8 could be an important tool to differentiate ABM from AM. © Elsevier Editora Ltda.