title: [VDRL and FTA-ABS reactivity in cerebrospinal fluid: our experience].
abstract: The reactivity of 194 samples of CSF against VDRL and FTA-ABS was studied in patients attending the Clinical Hospital in Salamanca over a five years period. This laboratory was asked to rule out an etiology of syphilis. Twelve samples of CSF proved to be reactive (6.2%) against VDRL and/or FTA-ABS. Seven of these corresponded to six adults diagnosed as suffering from neurosyphilis and one to an infant with early congenital syphilis without neurological alterations; these had in common the presence of active syphilis and a reactive FTA-ABS in serum. In the CSF of the six cases of neurosyphilis, VDRL was reactive in two patients (33.3%) and FTA-ABS in five (83.3%). One minimally reactive VDRL and four FTA-ABS were detected in the remaining five patients, with no known previous history of syphilis, that were suffering from different neurological alterations and that had a nonreactive FTA-ABS in serum. The results obtained in this study point to inappropriate use in CSF of VDRL and FTA-ABS to exclude neurosyphilis in our hospital since only 3.6% of the CSF studied corresponded to patients diagnosed as suffering from neurosyphilis and also to the need for improving the criteria for patient selection.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Neurología, Hospital Clínico Universitario, Salamanca.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: García-Rodríguez
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Martín-Sánchez
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Canut
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: García-García
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cacho
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002308:Cardiolipins; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D002784:Cholesterol; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D005455:Fluorescent Antibody Technique; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis; D009494:Neurosyphilis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests
chemical_list: D002308:Cardiolipins; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; C054448:VDRL antigen; D002784:Cholesterol
vernacular_title: Reactividad del VDRL y FTA-ABS en líquido cefalorraquídeo: nuestra experiencia.