Changes and significance of C-reactive protein and matrix metalloproteinase-9 in cerebrospinal fluid and serum of patients with intracranial infection

Abstract

Objective To evaluate the changes of C-reactive protein (CRP) and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) in cerebrospinal fluid and serum of patients with intracranial infection,in order to explore their significance.Methods The levels of CRP and MMP-9 in 43 cases patients with intracranial infection of the acute and recovery phase and 21 normal people (control group) were determined by immunohistochemical turbidimetric method and radioimmunity method.In 43 patients,24 cases of viral encephalitis (viral encephalitis group),12 cases of tuberculous meningitis (tuberculous meningitis group) and 7 cases of purulent meningitis (purulent meningitis group).Results The levels of CRP of cerebrospinal fluid and serum in the acute phase in tuberculous meningitis group [(7.12 ±2.32),(28.84 ±4.91) μg/L] and purulent meningitis group [(8.68 ± 2.32),(32.60 ± 6.94) μg/L] were significantly higher than those in control group [(3.20 ± 1.62),(9.96 ± 3.45) μ g/L] (P ＜0.05);the levels of CRP had no significantly statistical difference in the acute and recovery phase between viral encephalitis group and control group (P＞0.05),and there was no significant difference in the levels of CRP of cerebrospinal fluid and serum in the recovery phase between tuberculous meningitis group or purulent meningitis group and control group (P＞0.05).There was no significant difference in the levels of CRP in tuberculous meningitis group and purulent meningitis group between the acute phase and recovery phase (P＞0.05).The levels of MMP-9 in the acute and recovery phase of all the groups were significantly higher than those in control group (P ＜0.05).The levels of MMP-9 in the recovery phase of all the groups were significantly decreased,compared with those in the acute phase (P＜0.05).Especially the levels of MMP-9 in the acute and recovery phase in tuberculous meningitis group and purulent meningitis group were significantly higher than those in viral encephalitis group (P＜0.05).There were no significant difference in the levels of MMP-9 in tuberculous meningitis and purulent meningitis group between the acute phase and the recovery phase (P＞0.05).Conclusions There is no significant relationship between CRP and viral encephalitis,however the levels of CRP are significantly increased in the acute phase of bacterial intracranial infections.The levels of MMP-9 in the three kinds of intracranial infection are signifcanfiy increased,especially in tuberculous meningitis and purulent meningitis patients,and they gradually decrease during the recovery procedure.The changes of CRP and MMP-9 would help to determine the phases,the kinds,the severity and the prognosis of intracranial infection. Key words: C-reactive protein; Matrix metalloproteinase-9; Intracranial infection