Abstract
Introduction: Meningitis is a serious clinical problem in many regions of the world especially in the developing countries. Early diagnosis and appropriate treatment of the type of meningitis is crucial to reduce associated mortality and morbidity. The role of CSF lactate in the differential diagnosis between from meningitis has been debatable for long. We investigated the diagnostic value of CSF lactate in meningitis patients for discriminating between and meningitis in our institute for two years. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was done in 40 cases of suspected meningitis of varied etiologies from October 2011 to October 2013. CSF samples were taken immediately on admission. Based on CSF cytology and biochemical parameters and other specific assays, patients were divided into , tubercular and aseptic/viral meningitis. CSF lactate was estimated by the ISE (Ion-selective electrode) method. Results: Of the 40 patients with meningitis, 16 were and 24 (9 tubercular and 15 aseptic/viral). Mean CSF lactate levels was 11.66 /L, 4.0 /L and 1.99 /L in meningitis, tubercular meningitis and viral meningitis respectively (P Conclusion: CSF lactate can provide legitimate, quick and explicit diagnostic information in differentiating from meningitis (tubercular and viral). Keywords: CSF, Lactate, Meningitis, Pyogenic, Tubercular, Aseptic.
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