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Interleukin-8 levels in children with bacterial, tuberculous and aseptic meningitis

Erdal Yilmaz1, M Kaya Gürgöze, Nevin Ilhan

  • 1Firat University, Faculty of Medicine, Elaziğ, Turkey. erdmelhan@hotmail.com

Indian Journal of Pediatrics
|May 11, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Interleukin-8 (IL-8) levels are elevated in bacterial and tuberculous meningitis (TBM). Measuring IL-8 in cerebrospinal fluid aids in differentiating meningitis types, particularly in children.

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Immunology
  • Pediatrics

Background:

  • Interleukin-8 (IL-8) is a cytokine produced by monocytes and endothelial cells.
  • IL-8 is released into circulation following bacterial or lipopolysaccharide stimulation.
  • Cytokine involvement in meningitis pathogenesis is an area of active research.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the role of IL-8 in meningitis pathogenesis.
  • To assess the diagnostic value of IL-8 in distinguishing between different meningitis etiologies in children.
  • To analyze the concentration changes of IL-8 during the course of bacterial meningitis.

Main Methods:

  • Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) IL-8 levels were measured in 56 children with nonbacterial, bacterial, and tuberculous meningitis (TBM).
  • CSF IL-8 was also analyzed in 15 healthy control subjects.
  • The kinetics of IL-8 concentrations were tracked during bacterial meningitis treatment.

Main Results:

  • IL-8 levels were significantly higher in bacterial meningitis and TBM groups compared to aseptic meningitis and control groups (p < 0.0001).
  • No significant difference in IL-8 levels was observed between non-bacterial meningitis and control groups.
  • In bacterial meningitis, CSF IL-8 decreased to undetectable levels during recovery, while TBM patients showed elevated IL-8 levels two weeks post-treatment initiation.

Conclusions:

  • Elevated IL-8 levels in CSF are indicative of bacterial or tuberculous meningitis.
  • IL-8 measurement shows potential as a biomarker for differential diagnosis of meningitis in children.
  • The distinct IL-8 kinetics in bacterial meningitis versus TBM suggest its utility in monitoring treatment response.
Abstract

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