Changes of TNF-αand IFN-γin serum and cerebrospinal fluid of patients with tuberculous meningitis

Objective To reveal the diagnostic value of tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-αand interferon(IFN)-γin patients with tuberculous meningitis(TBM).Methods According to the Thwaites′criteria,18TBM patients(TBM group)were enrolled and divided into different stages.Serum and cerebrospinal fluid(CSF)were collected from TBM patients and 20patients without intracalvarium infection(control group),and detected for TNF-αand IFN-γby using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay.The differences of TNF-αand IFN-γbetween TBM group and control group were analyzed,and Pearson correlation was used to analyze the relationship of TNF-αand IFN-γwith different stages of TBM.Results Serum and CSF levels of TNF-αin TBM group were(65.80±5.18)and(34.40±2.56)pg/mL,which were higher than the(4.51±0.50)and(3.44±0.40)pg/mL in control group(P0.01).Serum and CSF levels of IFN-γin TBM group were(125.00±16.00)and(77.60±2.33)pg/mL,which were higher than the(7.49±0.14)and(7.95±0.14)pg/mL in control group(P0.01).Moreover,TNF-αand IFN-γmight be correlated with the disease stages of TBM.Conclusion TNF-αand IFN-γcould be related to the pathogenesis of TBM and the different disease stages of TBM.TNF-αand IFN-γmight be potential diagnostic indicators of TBM.