title: The predictive value of cerebrospinal fluid tap-test in normal pressure hydrocephalus.
abstract: Eighteen patients (mean age of 66.5 years) with normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) underwent a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt surgery. Prior to operation a cerebrospinal fluid tap-test (CSF-TT) was performed with measurements of gait pattern and psychometric functions (memory, visuo-motor speed and visuo-constructive skills) before and after the removal of 50 ml CSF by lumbar puncture (LP). Fifteen patients improved and 3 were unchanged after surgery. Short duration of disease, gait disturbance preceding mental deterioration, wide temporal horns and small sulci on CT-scan were associated with good outcome after shunting. There was a good correlation between the results of CSF-TT and shunt surgery (chi 2 = 4.11, phi = 0.48, p < 0.05), with gait test showing highest correlation (r = 0.99, p = 0.01). In conclusion, this version of CSF-TT proved to be an effective test to predict improvement after shunting in patients with NPH.
authors.affiliation: Unidade de Neuropsicologia e Neurolinguistica, Faculdade de Ciências Médicas (FCM), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Brasil.
authors.forename: B P
authors.initials: BP
authors.lastname: Damasceno
authors.forename: E F
authors.initials: EF
authors.lastname: Carelli
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Honorato
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Facure
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002555:Cerebrospinal Fluid; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006850:Hydrocephalus, Normal Pressure / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D013129:Spinal Puncture; D017287:Ventriculoperitoneal Shunt