Early human development
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Early human development · Apr 1994
Comparative StudyIs a low cerebrospinal fluid blood glucose ratio indicative of infection in patients with post haemorrhagic hydrocephalus?
Cerebrospinal fluid glucose and cerebrospinal fluid:blood glucose ratios were compared in seven patients with post haemorrhagic hydrocephalus having lumbar puncture/ventricular tap as a therapeutic measure. A control group of 10 babies was used, without intraventricular haemorrhage, and having lumbar puncture as part of a septic screen. Of 50 separate taps in the patient group, 38% had blood glucose measured and 76% had CSF glucose measured. ⋯ The median cerebrospinal fluid:blood glucose ratio in the patient group was 0.235 (range, 0.07-0.53) and in the control group was 0.709 (range, 0.6-1.4). Hypoglycorrhachia appears to be a normal finding in patients with post haemorrhagic hydrocephalus and does not indicate infection in these infants. Measurement of cerebrospinal fluid:blood glucose ratio is not warranted when cerebrospinal fluid is drained purely as a therapeutic measure in these patients.