A STUDY TO ASSESS THE DIAGNOSTIC VALUE OFCEREBROSPINALFLUID PROCALCITONIN IN DIAGNOSING ACUTEBACTERIALMENINGITIS.

Abstract

Background: Acute bacterial meningitis is a life-threateningcondition. At the time being,
there is no clinical or laboratory method which cansolely prove or disprove the diagnosis
of acute bacterial meningitis instantly andaccurately. This study aims to estimate the CSF
procalcitonin levels in patients withacute meningitis and to determine its diagnostic value
in diagnosing acute bacterialmeningitis.
Methods: It is a cross sectional study, consisting of 40 patients with clinical suspicionof
acute meningitis. Lumbar puncture was performed andCSF analysis was sent,along with
CSF Procalcitonin levels. Patients were included in the acute
bacterialmeningitisandacutenon-bacterialmeningitisgroupbasedonconventionalCSFanalysis.
The CSF procalcitonin levels in both groups were compared and analysedusingthe statistical
analysis.
Results:Outof40casesofacutemeningitis,16(40%)wereclassifiedasacutebacterial meningitis
and 24(60%) as acute non-bacterial meningitis. The mean age ofpatients with bacterial
meningitis was 41years, while that of non-bacterial meningitiswas 54years. The mean CSF
procalcitonin level in patients with bacterial meningitiswas 0.72±0.46 ng/ml and in nonbacterial meningitis was 0.1±0.12 ng/ml, which wasstatistically significant. The sensitivity