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Biomarkers of neurological tissue injury and inflammation in paediatric tuberculous meningitis

Includes bibliographical references.

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Rohlwink, Ursula Karin
Other Authors: Figaji, Anthony
Format: Thesis
Language:English
Published: Division of Neurosurgery 2014
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access_status_str Open Access
author Rohlwink, Ursula Karin
author2 Figaji, Anthony
author_browse Figaji, Anthony
Rohlwink, Ursula Karin
author_facet Figaji, Anthony
Rohlwink, Ursula Karin
author_sort Rohlwink, Ursula Karin
collection Thesis
description Includes bibliographical references.
format Thesis
id oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/9524
institution University of Cape Town (South Africa)
language eng
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:33:40.116Z
license_str Not specified — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
publishDate 2014
publishDateRange 2014
publishDateSort 2014
publisher Division of Neurosurgery
publisherStr Division of Neurosurgery
record_format dspace
source_str UCTD — University of Cape Town Open Access Repository
spelling oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/9524 Biomarkers of neurological tissue injury and inflammation in paediatric tuberculous meningitis Rohlwink, Ursula Karin Figaji, Anthony Includes bibliographical references. [Background] Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) in children has high mortality and neurological morbidity rates. The assessment of disease severity and prognostication are difficult because several factors influence initial presentation, and advanced tools for these are lacking. Biomarkers of neurological injury could help to assess severity and to prognosticate, but have not been assessed in paediatric TBM. This study examined serum and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers of neurological injury in paediatric TBM in association with clinical and physiological data, radiology, inflammatory markers, and outcome. [ Methods ] Serum and CSF (ventricular and lumbar) samples were taken on admission and over 3 weeks in children with probable TBM and hydrocephalus. These were analysed with ELISA for neuromarkers S100B, neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and with Luminex multianalyte array assay for a panel of inflammatory markers. Results were compared with 2 controls groups. Computerized tomography was done on admission and magnetic resonance imaging (brain, spine and magnetic resonance angiography) at 3 weeks. Brain oxygenation was monitored invasively and non-invasively in selected patients. Clinical and neurodevelopmental outcomes were assessed at 6 months. Data were analysed with various statistical tools, including principal component analysis. [ Results ] Data were collected from 44 children. Of these, 16% died and 36% had disability (25% mildmoderate, 11% severe). S100B, NSE, GFAP and inflammatory markers were elevated in CSF on admission and for up to 3 weeks, but not in serum. Elevated neuromarkers were significantly associated with poor outcome and increased over time in patients who died, although combined inflammatory biomarkers decreased. Cerebral infarcts occurred in 66% of patients and were associated with neuromarker elevation. Novel findings on spinal MRI were the high frequency of asymptomatic disease. Cerebral vascular pathology was documented frequently on imaging but did not predict infarcts. Low brain oxygenation was common and in keeping with physiological events and outcome. [ Conclusion ] CSF neuro- and inflammatory markers are elevated in TBM. Neuromarkers were prognostic of clinical and radiological outcome and an increasing trend suggested ongoing injury. This does not appear to be related to ongoing inflammation as measured by cytokines but may reflect the ongoing secondary injury processes initiated by inflammation. 2014-11-11T06:52:19Z 2014-11-11T06:52:19Z 2014 Doctoral Thesis Doctoral PhD http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9524 eng application/pdf Division of Neurosurgery Faculty of Health Sciences University of Cape Town
spellingShingle Rohlwink, Ursula Karin
Biomarkers of neurological tissue injury and inflammation in paediatric tuberculous meningitis
thesis_degree_str Doctoral
title Biomarkers of neurological tissue injury and inflammation in paediatric tuberculous meningitis
title_full Biomarkers of neurological tissue injury and inflammation in paediatric tuberculous meningitis
title_fullStr Biomarkers of neurological tissue injury and inflammation in paediatric tuberculous meningitis
title_full_unstemmed Biomarkers of neurological tissue injury and inflammation in paediatric tuberculous meningitis
title_short Biomarkers of neurological tissue injury and inflammation in paediatric tuberculous meningitis
title_sort biomarkers of neurological tissue injury and inflammation in paediatric tuberculous meningitis
url http://hdl.handle.net/11427/9524
work_keys_str_mv AT rohlwinkursulakarin biomarkersofneurologicaltissueinjuryandinflammationinpaediatrictuberculousmeningitis