Cytokine Profiles Associated With Clinical Outcomes in Pediatric Patients With Meningitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

This review evaluated the correlation between inflammatory response and clinical outcomes in pediatric patients with meningitis. PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched for relevant studies published until March 2024. A total of 139 articles were identified; 7 studies were eligible, and 3 provided data for the meta-analysis. All included articles comprised one of the following cohorts: children with bacterial meningitis, those with aseptic meningitis, or febrile children without evidence of central nervous system infection. The following cytokines and chemocytokines were assessed: interleukin IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and transforming growth factor-beta 1. Studies on children with bacterial meningitis confirmed by culture found that acute complications and neurologic sequelae were associated with higher concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-17. Although this review could not definitively correlate individual inflammatory responses with the prognosis of children with central nervous system infections, IL-6 from cerebrospinal fluid may potentially predict the prognosis of children with bacterial meningitis.