Postmortem cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis.
We show that postmortem cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pleocytosis is a common event. Postmortem cerebrospinal or ventricular fluid was obtained from children and adults. The cells were counted and morphologically characterized using several histochemical markers. Infants exhibit a brisk postmortem CSF pleocytosis. Sudden infant death cases have relatively high CSF counts. Typeable cells are mononuclear and consist of approximately 60%-70% lymphocytes and 20%-40% macrophages. When postmortem duration is greater than 12 h, the cells become vacuolated and cannot be identified. The etiology of these findings requires further study.
Platt
M S
MS
Children's Hospital Medical Center, Akron, OH 44308.
McClure
S
S
Clarke
R
R
Spitz
W U
WU
Cox
W
W
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002452:Cell Count; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid / Q000166:cytology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008214:Lymphocytes; D008264:Macrophages; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011180:Postmortem Changes; D013398:Sudden Infant Death / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*