[The enzyme activity and pyruvate, lactate and 2,3-DPG levels in the erythrocytes of patients with severe forms of meningococcal infection and suppurative meningitis].

Red cell metabolism (RCM) was examined in 63 patients with severe and complicated meningococcal infection and purulent meningitis of another etiology. There were complex pathobiochemical shifts with changes in glycolysis (in activity of lactate dehydrogenase, piruvatkinase, in the amount of piruvate, lactate and 2,3-DPG), antioxidant status (in the activity of glucose-6-phosphate-dehydrogenase, glutathione reductase), Mg+2, Na+, K(+)-dependent ATPase. Primary depression of red cell metabolism changed for compensatory activation for hypoxia adaptation in clinical improvement. RCM disturbance coincided with emergence of early complications and reached maximum in lethal outcome. Pathogenetic and clinical implications of RCM in meningococcal infection and purulent meningitis are described.