Clinical Significance of Tumor Necrosis Factor in Children's Infection of Central Nervous System

Objective:To study the clinical significance of tumor necrosis factor(TNF)in children's infection of central nervous system.Methods:TNF in serum and cerebrospinal fluid(CSF)was determined with ELISA in42children with acute infection central nervous system,among them there were20cases with germs meningitis and22cases with virus meingitis or encephalitis.Sixteen healthy children served as controls.Results:The levels of TNF of germs meningitis group in serum(0.236±0.105μg/L)and in CSF(0.211±0.094μg/L)were markedly higher than those of virus meningitis group in serum(0.125±0.030μg/L)and in CSF(0.109±0.032μg/L)and those of control group in serum(0.125±0.039μg/L)and in CSF(0.109±0.032μg/L).The TNF level in virus encephalitis group was obviously higher than that in control group.In germs meningitis group,a significant correlation was observed between the levels of TNF in serum and CSF(r=0.935,t=7.67,P0.01).Conclusion:The level of TNF in CSF can be used as an important index for the bacterial meningitis's diagnosis.The levels of TNF in serumn and CSF were of important significance for differential diagnosis of bacterial menigitis and virus meningitis.In pathologic state,the level of TNF in serumn can reflect the variety of TNF level in CSF and can provide a basis for clinical application of anti-TNF antibody in infectious disease.