CHANGES IN IFN-Γ AND IL-4 LEVELS IN THE SERUM AND CSF OF PATIENTS WITH SUPPURATIVE MENINGITIS AND VIRAL ENCEPHALITIS

Jing Xie^#, Congxian Guo^#, Xuelei Zhang, Jinjin Chen, Xia Huang, Chenbin Yu^* 

Department of Critical Care Medicine, Affiliated Taikang Xianlin Drum Tower Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing 210046, PR China

Objective: By detecting and comparing IFN – γ and IL-4, and their dynamic changes in the CSF and serum of children with central nervous system infections, we explored the values of IFN-γ and IL-4 levels in the differential diagnoses of suppurative meningitis and viral encephalitis. 

Methods: From January to December 2019, 80 children with central nervous system infections were admitted to our hospital; 40 children had suppurative meningitis (suppurative group) and 40 had viral encephalitis (viral group). In addition, 40 children who visited our hospital for health examinations in the same period were included as the control group. The IFN - γ and IL-4 levels in the serum and CSF of the three groups were detected in the acute stage and in the recovery stage, respectively. 

Results: In the acute stage, levels of IFN - γ and IL-4 in the serum and CSF of the suppurative and viral groups were higher than they were in the control group (P<0.05); while the IFN - γ in the viral group was higher than it was in the suppurative group, IL-4 was lower than it was in the suppurative group (P<0.05). In the recovery stage, the levels of IFN - γ and IL-4 in the serum and CSF in the suppurative and viral groups were higher than they were in the control group (P<0.05), while there was no difference between the suppurative and viral groups (P>0.05). A within-group comparison revealed that the levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 in the serum and CSF of the acute-stage suppurative and viral groups were higher than they were in the recovery period of the corresponding groups (P<0.05). There was a significant difference in the levels of IFN - γ and IL-4 among the three groups (P<0.05). 

Conclusion: IFN- γ and IL-4 may be involved in damage to the function of the blood-CSF barrier in patients with central nervous system infections. Detecting the levels of IFN- γ and IL-4 in the serum and CSF of patients with central nervous system infections in the acute phase can help to distinguish acute purulent meningitis and viral encephalitis.