J Pediatr Infect Dis 2008; 03(03): 189-194
DOI: 10.1055/s-0035-1556990
Original Article
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart – New York

Effects of meningitis and encephalitis on oxidative state of blood and cerebrospinal fluid

Saadet Akarsu
a   Department of Pediatrics, Firat University Faculty of Medicine, Elazig, Turkiye
,
Seval Yilmaz
b   Department of Biochemistry, Firat University Faculty of Veterinary, Elazig, Turkiye
,
Sema Ozan
b   Department of Biochemistry, Firat University Faculty of Veterinary, Elazig, Turkiye
,
Fulya Benzer
b   Department of Biochemistry, Firat University Faculty of Veterinary, Elazig, Turkiye
,
Neşe A. Citak Kurt
a   Department of Pediatrics, Firat University Faculty of Medicine, Elazig, Turkiye
,
Abdullah Kurt
b   Department of Biochemistry, Firat University Faculty of Veterinary, Elazig, Turkiye
› Author Affiliations

Subject Editor:
Further Information

Publication History

19 November 2007

27 April 2008

Publication Date:
28 July 2015 (online)

Abstract

Recent studies have shown that the oxidative state plays an important role in the pathophysiology of neuroinflammatory diseases. Determination of erythrocyte arginase, and catalase (CAT), and also plasma and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) malondialdehyde (MDA), and nitric oxide (NO) concentrations were measured to establish differences between antioxidant state and lipid peroxidationto assess prognosis in neuroinflammatory disease. Three groups were studied, meningitis (n = 28), encephalitis (n = 30), and a control group (n = 40) for the spectrophotometric measurements of arginase, and CAT activities in erythrocytes, thiosemicarbazide diacetylmonoxime, and Aebi methods were used respectively. Plasma and CSF MDA levels were analyzed with a modified Yagi method and NO levels were assessed using spectrophotometric methods using the Griess reaction. Levels of erythrocyte arginase, erythrocyte CAT, and CSF NO differed between meningitis and encephalitis (P < 0.05). While levels of erythrocyte CAT, and CSF MDA, plasma NO and CSF NO concentrations differed between the meningitis group and controls (P < 0.05). Concentrations of erythrocyte arginase, CSF MDA and plasma NO differed between encephalitis and control groups (P < 0.05). All tests in the study except erythrocyte arginase and plasma MDA differed between meningitis cases and controls (P < 0.05). In the meningitis and encephalitis cases, studied oxidative states in blood, and CSF were affected at different levels, meningitis being more severe.