Title:Investigating the Levels of Brain-Specific Proteins in Hydrocephalus Patients
Volume: 24
Issue: 3
Author(s): Ahmet Guzelcicek*, Ataman Gönel, Ismail Koyuncu, Gulyara Cigdem, Dogan Kose, Mehmet Karadag and Dursun Cadirci
Affiliation:
- Department of Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Harran University, Sanliurfa,Turkey
Keywords:
NSE, CK-18, S100B, hydrocephalus, diagnosis, childhood.
Abstract:
Background: Hydrocephalus, a common brain disorder in children, can cause
permanent brain damage. A timely diagnosis of this disorder is crucial.
Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the levels of S-100, CK-18, and NSE brainspecific
proteins in patients with hydrocephalus. We examined the levels of these proteins in the
blood samples of hydrocephalic patients.
Methods: The study was conducted on the hydrocephalus (n = 31) patients and a healthy control
group (n = 30). A Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve was used to assess the validity of
the NSE, CK-18, and S100B to differentiate between the hydrocephalus and the control groups.
The suitability of the data to the normal distribution was tested with the Shapiro Wilk test, and the
Student t-test was used to compare the characteristics of the normal distribution in two independent
groups. The individuals in the hydrocephalus and control groups had similar values in terms of age,
height, and weight.
Results: It was observed that NSE, CK-18, and S100B mean values of the individuals in the
hydrocephalus group were significantly higher than NSE, CK-18, and S100B mean values of the
control group.
Conclusion: Experiments have shown that the levels of these proteins increase significantly in
hydrocephalus patients compared to the healthy group. These three parameters can be considered
as important markers in the diagnosis of hydrocephalus.
