Diagnostic Value of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor and Adenosine Deaminase Detection in Differentiating Tuberculous Meningitis from Viral Meningitis

Objective:To evaluate the clinical validity of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and adenosine deaminase (ADA) in differentiating tuberculous meningitis (TM) from viral meningitis (VM). Methods:Using the sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA),the level of VEGF and ADA in serum and cerebrospinal fluid were detected respectively in tuberculous meningitis (n=34) and viral meningitis (n=29). Results:The level of ADA in cerebrospinal fluid in patients with tuberculous meningitis [(13.40±5.32) U/L]was significantly higher than that in patients with viral meningitis [(6.84±5.13) U/L] (P0.01); ADA levels in the serum were higher in patients with tuberculous meningitis [(17.12±3.62) U/L] than in patients with viral meningitis [(14.38±5.21) U/L](P0.05). VEGF levels in serum and cerebrospinal fluid were significantly higher in patients with tuberculous meningitis than in patients with viral meningitis [(59.1±21.5) and (120.1±52.6) ng/L versus (36.4±13.7) and (54.3±20.2) ng/L respectively,both P0.01]. The sensitivity,specificity and accuracy of combinative detecting VEGF and ADA in cerebrospina1 fluid in the diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis were 94.12%,72.41%,and 84.12% respectively. Conclusion:VEGF and ADA in cerebrospinal fluid could be used as valuable parameters for the differentiation of tuberculous meningitis from viral meningitis.