[Clinical early diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis]

We examined 37 tuberculous meningitis, 30 active pulmonary tuberculosis, and 31 nontuberculous disease patient's CSF and serum antitubercular antibody IgG with polymerized OT as an antigen by the method of ELISA, respectively. It is shown that there is of a specificity to the diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis. We also reexamined the serum antitubercular antibody daily, as well as CSF antitubercular antibody, and CSF routine and biochemical indexes weekly for 16 tuberculous meningitis inpatients ill no more than five days. It was found that CSF antitubercular antibody became positive five days earlier than self serum antitubercular antibody, seven days earlier than typical tuberculous meningitis CSF. It is shown that the positive of the CSF antitubercular antibody may be used as the basis of the early diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis. Through antitubercular therapy and monthly re-examinations of the above indexes, it was found that CSF and serum antitubercular antibody became negative earlier than the recovery of CSF routine and biochemical indexes, and so the examination of CSF and serum antitubercular antibody has some reference value to determine curative effects and prognosis.