Cerebrospinal fluid ferritin concentration in patients with purulent, bacterial meningitis ­ own observations / Stezenie ferrytyny w plynie mózgowo-rdzeniowym chorych z ropnymi, bakteryjnymi zapaleniami opon i mózgu - obserwacje wlasne

THE AIM: The aim of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) ferritin concentration assessment in adults with purulent, bacterial meningoencephalitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The investigation was performed in 18 subjects hospitalized at the Clinical Ward of Infectious Diseases, Medical University of Silesia in Bytom from 2008 through 2012, for purulent, bacterial meningoencephalitis. The patients were divided into two groups, according to severity of their clinical condition: Group I ­ very severe course of the disease, group II ­ moderate and mild course of the disease. In all the individuals, CSF interleukin-6 concentration was evaluated during the first 24 hours of hospitalization. RESULTS: Mean CSF ferritin concentration in patients in very severe clinical condition (group I) was 314.71 ng/mL as compared to 162.13 ng/mL in subjects of group II with moderate and mild course of the disease. The difference between CSF mean concentration of this cytokine was statistically significant (p<0.01). Correlations between CSF ferritin and CSF protein and lactate were determined. The control assays performed in 6 patients from group I revealed only slightly decrease of CSF ferritin level in the fatal course of the disease. In survivals with recovery CSF concentration of this protein was decreased markedly as compared to the initial level. CONCLUSIONS: The obtained results indicate the usefulness of CSF ferritin concentration assessment in estimation of intensity of inflammation in the subarachnoid space, and indirectly, of severity of the patient's clinical condition. The level of this protein concentration also seems to be helpful as a prognostic marker in purulent, bacterial meningoencephalitis.

[Evaluation of the concentration of cerebrospinal fluid ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) in patients with purulent, bacterial meningitis--own observations]. / Ocena stezenia rzeskowego czynnika neurotropowego (CNTF) w plynie mózgowo-rdzeniowym chorych z ropnymi, bakteryjnymi zapaleniami opon i mózgu--obserwacje wlasne.

UNLABELLED: THE AIM of the study was evaluation of usefulness of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) concentration assessment in adults with purulent, bacterial meningoencephalitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The investigation was performed in 14 subjects hospitalized at the Department of Infectious Diseases of Medical University of Silesia in Bytom from 2007 - 2009 due to purulent, bacterial meningoencephalitis. All patients were divided into to groups according to the severity of their clinical condition: I group - very severe course of the disease, II group - moderate and mild course of the disease. In all individuals CSF CNTF concentration was evaluated during the first 24 hours of hospitalization. RESULTS: Mean CSF CNTF concentration in patients in very severe clinical condition (group I) was 14,73 pg/ mL compared to 6,79 pg/mL in subjects of group II with moderate and mild course of disease. The difference between CSF mean concentration of this cytokine was statistically significant (p < 0,01). No correlations were assessed between CSF CNTF concentrations and other CSF inflammatory parameters. Control assays performed in 4 patients from group I revealed evident decrease of CSF CNTF level in fatal course of the disease. In survivals with recovery CSF concentration of this cytokine was only slightly decreased compared to initial level. CONCLUSIONS. The obtained results indicate the usefulness of CSF CNTF concentration assessment in estimation of severity of the patient's clinical condition. The level of this cytokine concentration also seems to be helpful as prognostic marker in purulent, bacterial meningoencephalitis.

[Cilliary neurotrophic factor in tick-borne encephalitis]. / Rzeskowy czynnik neurotrtropowy w kleszczowym zapaleniu mózgu.

THE PURPOSE OF THIS STUDY: To evaluate concentrations of cilliary neutrophic factor (CNTF) in serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) and bacterial meningitis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 49 patients (14 females and 35 males), aged 19 to 62 were examined. Patients were divided into three groups: group I--23 patients (47%) with diagnosed TBE, group II--16 patients (33%) with bacterial meningitis and 10 (20%) healthy individuals as control group. The examination was performed twice before and after 4-weeks treatment. In achieved results CNTF concentration in serum from group I and II in both examinations was significantly higher compared to control group. RESULTS: Patients with TBE showed higher serum CNTF concentration compared to group with bacterial meningitis in both examinations as well. In examination 1 cerebrospinal fluid CNTF concentration of both groups was significantly higher in comparison to control group. Examined cytokine CSF concentration was higher in group with bacterial meningitis. After treatment CNTF concentration decreased significantly in group I and II. In group I CNTF concentration was comparable to control group. CONCLUSION: Concentration of CNTF in csf could be used as a marker of the inflammatory process in the central nervous system.

Evaluation of an intrathecal immune response in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis patients implanted with encapsulated genetically engineered xenogeneic cells.

A phase I/II clinical trial has been performed in 12 amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients to evaluate the safety and tolerability of intrathecal implants of encapsulated genetically engineered baby hamster kidney (BHK) cells releasing human ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF). These patients have been assessed for a possible intrathecal or systemic immune response against the implanted xenogeneic cells. Hundreds of pg CNTF/ml could be detected for several weeks in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of 9 out of 12 patients, in 2 patients up to 20 weeks after capsule implantation. Slightly elevated leukocyte counts were observed in 6 patients. Clear evidence for a delayed humoral immune response was found in the CSF of only 3 patients out of 12 (patients #4, #6, and #10). Characterization of the antigen(s) recognized by the antibodies present in these CSF samples allowed to identify bovine fetuin as the main antigenic component. The defined medium used for maintaining the capsules in vitro before implantation contains bovine fetuin. Fetuin may therefore still be adsorbed to the surface of the cells and/or the polymer membrane, or be present in the medium surrounding the encapsulated cells at the time of implantation. Because of the insufficient availability of CSF samples, as well as the relatively poor sensitivity of the assays used, a weak humoral immune response against components of the implanted cells themselves cannot be excluded. However, the present study demonstrates that encapsulated xenogeneic cells implanted intrathecally can survive for up to 20 weeks in the absence of immunosuppression and that neither CNTF nor the presence of antibodies against bovine fetuin elicit any adverse side effects in the implanted patients.