title: Determination of lactic acid level in systemic liquids in children with progressive encephalopathies.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This article reports the results of research into the activities of lactic acid concentrations in the body fluids of children with progressive encephalopathies (PE) in comparison to patients with non-progressive encephalopathies (NPE) and those with non-progressive encephalopathies with concomitant epilepsy (NPEE). The study was designed to determine whether there is difference between the serum and CSF lactic acid concentrations in children with progressive encephalopathies (PE), static (non-progressive) encephalopathies (NPE) and non progressive encephalopathies with concomitant epilepsy (NPEE), and whether the clinical status correlates with the concentration of these biochemical markers in children with PE.
  
  
  METHODS
  The assessment involved 138 children of both sexes, whose age ranged between 8 months and 15 years, diagnosed and treated in the Neurology Department at the Pediatric Clinic of the Silesian Medical Academy in Katowice between 1995 and 1997. Lactate concentrations were determined in serum and cerebro-spinal fluid and analyzed statistically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The findings showed higher serum and CSF concentrations in children with PE than in patients who manifested non-progressive forms of encephalopathy. The degree of clinical symptom aggravation in PE children was likewise analyzed and compared to the values of lactate concentrations in body fluids; however, no correlation was found between these parameters.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Children with progressive encephalopathies present higher lactate concentrations in serum and cerebrospinal fluid than patients with static (non-progressive) encephalopathy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Neurology, Silesian Medical University, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Elzbieta
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Marszał
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wojaczyńska-Stanek
authors.forename: Jerzy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pietruszewski
authors.forename: Ewa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Emich-Widera
authors.forename: Eugenia
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bielińska-Bujniewicz
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002561:Cerebrovascular Disorders / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004827:Epilepsy / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood* / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid*; D008297:Male
chemical_list: D019344:Lactic Acid