Table 2

Association (rho values) between CSF MIF levels at admission and biochemical parameters in CSF and blood

CSF samples

Purulent meningitis of known aetiology (n = 31)

Purulent meningitis of unknown aetiology (n = 20)

Lymphocytic meningitis (n = 59)

Encephalitis (n = 11)

No CNS infection (n = 50)

CSF WBC count

0.49^†

-0.21

0.35^†

0.61*

0.07

CSF PMNs

0.50^†

-0.20

-0.04

0.88^†

-0.24

CSF mononuclear

0.39*

-0.44

0.37^†

0.18

0.13

CSF glucose

-0.55^‡

0.17

-0.04

-0.25

0.14

CSF/blood glucose

-0.51*

-0.22

0.12

-0.21

-0.16

CSF protein

0.42*

0.12

0.31*

0.36

0.39^†

CSF lactoferrin

0.45*

-0.33

0.15

0.95*

0.20

CSF neopterin

0.32

-0.14

0.33*

0.80

0.17

Blood WBC count

0.13

-0.19

-0.18

-0.50

0.06

Blood neutrophils

0.22

-0.14

-0.18

-0.40

-0.04

Blood lymphocytes

-0.27

-0.29

0.04

-0.40

0.02

Blood monocytes

0.18

-0.60*

-0.14

-0.40

0.11

*P < 0.05, ^†P < 0.01, ^‡P < 0.001. CNS, central nervous system; CSF, cerebrospinal fluid; MIF, macrophage migration inhibitory factor; PMN, polymorphonuclear leucocyte; WBC, white blood cell.

Østergaard and Benfield Critical Care 2009 13:R101   doi:10.1186/cc7933