Cerebrospinal fluid ferritin and albumin index: potential candidates for scoring system to differentiate between bacterial and viral meningitis in children

• Published in: Biomarkers Vol. 21; no. 5; pp. 424 - 428
• Main Authors: Jebamalar, Angelin A., Balakrishnapillai, Agiesh K., Parmeswaran, Narayanan, Dhiman, Pooja, Rajendiran, Soundravally
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Taylor & Francis 03-07-2016
• Subjects: Acute Disease; Albumin index; Albumins - analysis; Albumins - cerebrospinal fluid; bacterial meningitis; Child; Diagnosis, Differential; diagnostic model; Female; ferritin; Ferritins - cerebrospinal fluid; Humans; Logistic Models; Male; Meningitis, Bacterial - diagnosis; Meningitis, Viral - diagnosis; ROC Curve; Serum Albumin - analysis; viral meningitis; bacterial meningitis; ferritin; Albumin index; diagnostic model; viral meningitis
• ISSN: 1354-750X; 1366-5804
• DOI: 10.3109/1354750X.2016.1148777

Objectives: To evaluate the diagnostic role of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) ferritin and albumin index (AI = CSF albumin/serum albumin × 1000) in differentiating acute bacterial meningitis (ABM) from acute viral meningitis (AVM) in children.
Methods: The study included 42 cases each of ABM and AVM in pediatric age group. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was carried out for CSF ferritin and AI. Binary logistic regression was also done.
Results: CSF ferritin and AI were found significantly higher in ABM compared to AVM. Model obtained using AI and CSF ferritin along with conventional criteria is better than existing models.