Quantitative levels of fibrin(ogen) related materials in cerebrospinal fluid in patients with bacterial meningitis and other conditions

Abstract

Summary We assumed that fibrin deposits and subsequent lysis within cerebrospinal fluid may occur in the various inflammatory disorders involving meninges. Therefore, we measured fibrin(ogen) related materials in cerebrospinal fluid of 118 patients with 21 bacterial meningitis, 22 aseptic meningitis, 75 non-meningitis associated with infectious febrile conditions and other neurologic conditions. Fibrin(ogen) related materials were quantitated as immunological components (D and E) of fibrin(ogen), which react with anti-D and anti-E using automated latex photometric immunoassay. When compared to aseptic meningitis group (mean; D=7.3, E=1.4ng/ml), the levels of D and E fibrin(ogen) related materials in cerebrospinal fluid were increased to highly significant levels in the bacterial meningitis group including tuberculous meningitis (mean; D=36.4, E=6.4ng/ml) (p