M Martinot1, V Greigert2, L Souply3, B Rosolen2, D De Briel3, M Mohseni Zadeh2, J-D Kaiser4. 1. Service de médecine interne et rhumatologie, unité d'infectiologie, hôpitaux civils de Colmar, 39, avenue de la Liberté, 68024 Colmar, France. Electronic address: martin.martinot@ch-colmar.fr. 2. Service de médecine interne et rhumatologie, unité d'infectiologie, hôpitaux civils de Colmar, 39, avenue de la Liberté, 68024 Colmar, France. 3. Service de microbiologie, hôpitaux civils de Colmar, 39, avenue de la Liberté, 68024 Colmar, France. 4. Service de pharmacie, unité de recherche clinique, hôpitaux civils de Colmar, 39, avenue de la Liberté, 68024 Colmar, France.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leukocytes analysis is commonly used to diagnose meningitis and to differentiate bacterial from viral meningitis. Interpreting CSF monocytes can be difficult for physicians, especially in France where lymphocytes and monocytes results are sometimes pooled. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We assessed SF monocytes in patients presenting with microbiologically confirmed meningitis (CSF leukocyte count>10/mm3 for adults or >30/mm3 for children<2 months), i.e. bacterial meningitis (BM), viral meningitis (VM), and neuroborreliosis (NB). RESULTS: Two-hundred patients (82 BM, 86 VM, and 32 NB) were included. The proportions of monocytes were higher in VM (median 8%; range 0-57%) than in BM (median 5%; range 0-60%, P=0.03) or NB (median 5%; range 0-53%, P=0.46), with a high value overlap between conditions. CONCLUSION: CSF monocytes should not be used to discriminate BM from VM and NB because of value overlaps.
OBJECTIVE: Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leukocytes analysis is commonly used to diagnose meningitis and to differentiate bacterial from viral meningitis. Interpreting CSF monocytes can be difficult for physicians, especially in France where lymphocytes and monocytes results are sometimes pooled. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We assessed SF monocytes in patients presenting with microbiologically confirmed meningitis (CSF leukocyte count>10/mm3 for adults or >30/mm3 for children<2 months), i.e. bacterial meningitis (BM), viral meningitis (VM), and neuroborreliosis (NB). RESULTS: Two-hundred patients (82 BM, 86 VM, and 32 NB) were included. The proportions of monocytes were higher in VM (median 8%; range 0-57%) than in BM (median 5%; range 0-60%, P=0.03) or NB (median 5%; range 0-53%, P=0.46), with a high value overlap between conditions. CONCLUSION: CSF monocytes should not be used to discriminate BM from VM and NB because of value overlaps.