Serum Lipids in Viral and Bacterial Meningitis

Abstract

The changes in serum triglycerides (Tg), cholesterol and high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were examined in 17 patients with viral (VM) and in 7 patients with bacterial (BM) meningitis. In VM, there were low values of cholesterol (p<0.001) and HDL cholesterol (p<0.01) on admission to hospital and a rise in Tg after 1 week (p<0.01). In BM, caused in 4 cases by meningococci and in 3 cases by various streptococci, both cholesterol and HDL cholesterol were decreased during the acute phase (p<0.001 and <0.02, respectively). Corresponding changes were observed when the meningococcal cases were treated as a separate group (p<0.02 and <0.05, respectively). On admission cholesterol and HDL cholesterol levels in BM were lower than those in VM (p<0.05 in each case). In VM, the changes in serum lipids did not correlate with the changes of protein and glucose levels or leucocyte counts in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). In BM, protein concentration in CSF correlated negatively with serum Tg (p<0.01) and positively with HDL cholesterol (p<0.05); glucose concentration in CSF correlated positively with Tg (p<0.01). Our results emphasize the need for further investigation of the pathophysiological role of lipids in various infections.