Background Rapid diagnosis and early treatment of bacterial meningitis in children is so important.

Goal of study: Comparison the amount of procalcitonin, in CSF of children with bacterial and non bacterila meningitis.

Methods A cross sectional study conducted in Rasoul Akram and Bahrami hospital in Tehran during 2 years (2011–2013) upon 57 children with suspected meningitis selected Convenience. CSF samples obtained, and routine laboratory examinations (cell count, protein, suger, smear, culture) had done. 0/5–3 cc of CSF was collected and stored at- until assayed. Amount of Procalcitonin (ELISA Ray biotech kit) detected in CSF. A receiver-operating – characteristic curve (ROC) was constructed to illustrate various cut-offs of Procalcitonin levels in differentiating between 2 groups of meningitis.

Results 57 children with menigitis were between 1 months-13 years; mean age 26.5: ± 2.98 months, were enrolled in this study. Mean age of 30 cases with bacterial meningitis was 2.5 years, and in 27 cases with aseptic menigitis was 1.6 years. For differentiation of bacterila meningitis; A PCT level in CSF >=0.235 ng/mL had a sensitivity of 96.4% and a specificity of 80%.

We evaluated whether procalcitonin (PCT) might aid diagnosing serious bacterial infections in a general paediatric ICU population. 201 patients accounted for 332 PCT samples.

Conclusion The presence of PCT in CSF can potentially assist clinicians in faster diagnosis and appropriate treatment in bacterial meningitis. These data suggest PCT can assist in identifying patients without bacterial meningitis and limit antimicrobial use.