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Background: Meningitis is one of the serious and dangerous infections in the infancy and childhood and rapid diagnosis of meningococcal disease is important, especially in infants. C-reactive protein (CRP) is a protein found in blood and is an acute phase protein. CRP sensitive reactive that used for diagnosis of infection. This study conducted to assessment of the relationship between cerebrospinal fluid C-reactive protein, and neonatal meningitis, as well as diagnostic value of test. Methods: Forty nine hospitalized infant that suspected to meningitis were enrolled in this analytic cross sectional research via non probable accessible sampling. 28 patients (52.7%) of all the patients were male and 21 patients (42.8%) were female. The average age of the patients was 22.6±11.88 days. Data from clinical examinations and laboratory tests entered in a questionnaire and all of samples divided in two bacterial (septic) and non-bactria (aseptic) meningitis group. All data including cerebrospinal fluid CRP of newborns were statistically analyzed. Results: In total, the mean and standard deviation of age was 22.6±11.88 days. 57.2% of infants were male and 42.8% were female. In total, 40.82% of infants were diagnosed with septic meningitis. There was no significant difference between septic and aseptic groups in terms of sex (P= 1.00) also in terms of age (P= 0.1). The mean and standard deviation of CRP level in septic meningitis group was 0.95±0.68 mg/L and in aseptic group was 0.16±0.36 mg/L. The CRP level difference in septic meningitis group compare with aseptic group was statistically significant (P<0.000). The finding showed that cut off point for CRP level as a diagnostic test was 0.17 mg/L, sensitivity was 95% and specificity was 86%. Conclusion: In the present study, newborns with septic meningitis had higher cerebrospinal fluid CRP level than newborns with aseptic meningitis, and CSF-CRP can be used in rapid diagnosis of septic and aseptic meningitis. Although this result has been seen in many studies, but more research is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Although congenital hypothyroidism is a preventable cause of mental disabilities, less than 10% of newborns are diagnosed based on clinical symptoms in the first month. If the diagnosis is not made based on screening programs, it would be delayed and irrepairable cerebral and auditory complications will occur. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of congenital hypothyroidism in the Mazandaran province. Materials and methods: The study is a descriptive (screening) survey. From infants born from January 2007 to January 2008 in Mazandaran province heel blood samples on filter paper were obtained. TSH values were measured by ELISA method and TSH> 5 mlu/L was considered as the recall criterion. Diagnosis of neonatal hypothyroidism was made based on TSH>10 and T4<6.5. Treatment was performed based on the results of second tests. Except in cases where the initial TSH was greater or equal to 20 -where the treatment was started from the beginning- if the second test results were reported normal, treatment was discontinued and the case was considered as a transient hypothyroidism. Results: Out of 45218 infants studied, 49% were female and 51% were male. 4.6% of newborns (2109) were recalled, among whom 1885 had 5< TSH< 10 mlu/L and 185 had 10< TSH< 20 mlu/L and 39 had TSH = 20.73 infants were diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Thus, the prevalence of neonatal hypothyroidism was 1.6/1000 in live births in Mazandaran province. Also prevalence of transient neonatal hypothyroidism was 1 in every 2500 live births. Conclusion: Given the high prevalence of hypothyroidism in the province, more screening programs are essential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]