Diagnostic Value of Serum Neuron-Specific Enolase and S100 Calcium-Binding Protein B for Sepsis-Associated Encephalopathy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Meta-analysis reveals elevated serum NSE and S100B levels in sepsis-associated encephalopathy, indicating their diagnostic utility for early brain injury detection.
Key Points
To evaluate the diagnostic utility of serum neuron-specific enolase (NSE) and S100 calcium-binding protein B (S100B) for distinguishing sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) from sepsis without SAE.
Systematic search conducted across PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science from database inception through January 2026.
Included 8 studies comprising 722 total participants (323 with SAE and 399 with sepsis but no SAE) assessing serum NSE and/or S100B levels.
Serum NSE levels were significantly elevated in patients with SAE compared to those without SAE (pooled SMD 0.82, 95% CI: 0.66–0.97, P < 0.001, I² = 0.0%).
Serum S100B levels were significantly higher in the SAE group than in the sepsis without SAE group (pooled SMD 0.94, 95% CI: 0.77–1.11, P < 0.001, I² = 0.0%).