Elevated levels of 2-microglobulin in cerebrospinal fluid in adult patients with viral encephalitis/meningitis

Background: Increased cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2 -MG) values are attributed to immune activation, lymphoid cell turnover and release of tissue destruction in the central nervous system (CNS). We investigated plasma and CSF beta 2 -MG levels in adult patients with viral encephalitis/meningitis and their correlations with clinical parameters. Method: CSF samples from 26 patients with viral encephalitis/meningitis were collected. Moreover, 24 CSF samples from patients with non-inflammatory neurological disorders (NIND) as controls were collected. Plasma samples from 22 enrolled patients and 20 healthy individuals were collected. The beta 2 -MG levels were measured by immunoturbidimetry on an automatic biochemical analyzer. Clinical data were extracted from an electronic patient documentation system. Result: CSF levels of beta 2 -MG, adenosine deaminase (ADA), white blood cell (WBC), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), protein and lactate were significantly increased in patients with viral encephalitis/meningitis respectively (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.001, p < 0.001, p = 0.013). In contrast, no statistically significant difference was found in plasma levels of 82 -MG. Furthermore, CSF levels of beta 2 -MG were weakly correlated with WBC (r = 0.426, p = 0.030), lymphocyte percentage (r = 0.599, p = 0.018), ADA (r = 0.545, p = 0.004) and LDH (r = 0.414, p = 0.036), but not with lactate (r = 0.381, p = 0.055), protein (r = 0.179, p = 0.381) and plasma levels of beta 2 -MG (r = -0.156, p = 0.537) in viral encephalitis/meningitis patients. Conclusion: CSF beta 2 -MG may be a potential inflammatory marker for viral encephalitis/meningitis in adult patients diagnosed with viral encephalitis/meningitis.