Clinical significance of plasma NT-proBNP in children with bacterial meningitis

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of plasma amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP) in children with bacterial meningitis. Methods From April 2013 to March 2017, 32 children with bacterial meningitis in PICU of the Second People′s Hospital of Liaocheng Affiliated to Taishan Medical College were selected.The patients were evaluated the severity of the disease by Glasgow coma scale(GCS). Thirty-five cases who admitted to the hospital in the same period were selected as the control group, excluding congenital heart disease, chronic cardiac dysfunction, cardiomyopathy, myocarditis, heart failure, chronic renal insufficiency.The blood samples were collected from the hospital in 24h, and the levels of the plasma NT-proBNP, procalcitonin(PCT), C-reactive protein(CRP) and Na ions were determined. Results Compared with the control group, the levels of the plasma NT-proBNP was significantly increased[(7 123.97±6 901.60)ng/L vs.(39.29±19.41)ng/L, t=5.839, P<0.01], the level of PCT was significantly increased[(25.14±2.35)ng/dL vs.(0.63±0.15ng/dL, t=10.820, P<0.01], the level of CRP was significantly increased[(97.89±4.63mg/dL vs.(5.23±1.22mg/dL, t=21.130, P<0.01], and the GCS was significantly decreased(t=18.132, P<0.01) in children with bacterial meningitis group.The plasma NT-proBNP level of children with GCS<8points[(13 328.08±7 938.85)ng/L]was significantly higher than that in children with GCS 8~14points[(3 401.50±1 526.75)ng/L](t=5.816, P<0.01) and GCS≥15points[(39.74±18.64)ng/L](t=5.816, P<0.01). There was a significant positive correlation between the level of plasma NT-proBNP and PCT(r=0.969, P<0.01), also a significant positive correlation between the level of plasma NT-proBNP and CRP(r=0.961, P<0.01), while a significant negative correlation between the level of plasma NT-proBNP and sodium ions(r=0.886, P<0.01) in children with bacterial meningitis by Pearson correlation test. Conclusion Detection of the plasma NT-proBNP has significant clinical significance for early diagnosis and assessment of the severity of the illness of children with bacterial meningitis. Key words: Meningitis, bacterial; Hyponatremia; Amino-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide(NT-proBNP); Procalcitonin(PCT); Child; Early diagnosis