Significance of changes of cerebrospinal fluid neuron-specific enolase levels in patients with epidemic encephalitis B

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of the changes of neuron specific enolase (NSE) levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) of patients with epidemic encephalitis B. Methods CSF NSE level was detected in 58 patients with epidemic encephalitis B with RIA and a follow up study was made in 26 patients. Results CSF NSE concentrations increased in the fervescence stage and reached the peak in the crisis stage, and the increase paralleled the severity of the patients' conditions and correlated with the prognosis of the disease. Conclusions CSF NSE levels are of great reference in judging the degree of damage of brain cells and prognosis in patients with epidemic encephalitis B.