Diagnostic value of elastase-α₁-proteinase inhibitor in cerebrospinal fluid

ABSTRACT- In this report we introduce CSF Elastase-α₁-Proteinaseinhibitor as a valuable indicator for differentiating bacterial meningitis from aseptic meningitis and other neurological disorders. All patients (n = 26) with bacterial meningitis had increased CSF concentrations of E-α₁-PI above the range of normal (range of reference values: 0.0–2.3 μg/1, n = 79; bacterial meningitis: 30–3490 μg/1, n = 26). Concentrations of E-α₁-PI in bacterial meningitis were significantly elevated when compared with those in aseptic meningitis (0.0–194 μg/1, n = 37), polyneuropathy (0–23 μg/1, n = 24) and cerebrovascular attack (0–23.2 μg/1, n = 17).