Comparison of cerebrospinal fluid obtained by ventricular endoscopy and by lumbar puncture in patients with hydrocephalus secondary to neurocysticercosis.
BACKGROUND
Compare the differences between proteins, glucose, and morphological cellular counts from ventricular cerebrospinal fluid obtained by neuroendoscopy and lumbar puncture.


METHODS
This was a retrospective, transversal study. From January 2003 until June 2006, 30 neuroendoscopies were performed on patients with hydrocephalus secondary to NCC. Samples of CSF were extracted by lumbar puncture and ventricular neuroendoscopy, and their levels of glucose, proteins, number of leukocytes, and morphological differences (PMN including eosinophiles, monocytes, and lymphocytes) were subsequently measured and studied. Traumatic CSF results were excluded. Twenty-five patients with histopathologic confirmation of the NCC diagnosis were analyzed. The average age of the patients was 42 years (SD, 19.8 years) and female-male ratio was 10:15.


RESULTS
The differences in glucose values, between lumbar and ventricular CSF, were not statistically significant-lumbar, 45.28 mg/dL and ventricular, 53.92 mg/dL (P = .129). The differences in the protein values and leukocyte counts were statistically significant (P < .05) with the highest values found in lumbar CSF. The presence of monocytes was higher than that of PMNs in both fluids (P < .05). We did not find eosinophiles in any CSF.


CONCLUSIONS
We did not find differences in the glucose values as described by previous studies, but our findings showed differences in the values of proteins, PMN leukocytes, and monocytes. The presence of more monocytes could be explained by their incremented activation by the parasite antigen and chronicity of the disease. Translational trials with uniform criteria are needed to determinate the immune process in the several presentations of the disease in humans.
Torres-Corzo
Jaime G
JG
Department of Neurosurgery, Hospital Central 'Dr Ignacio Morones Prieto,' Av Venustiano Carranza 2395, CP 78240 San Luis Potosí, SLP, México. torrescjaime@yahoo.com.mx
Tapia-Pérez
J Humberto
JH
Sánchez-Aguilar
Martín
M
Della Vecchia
Roberto Rodriguez
RR
Chalita Williams
Juan C
JC
Cerda-Gutiérrez
Ricardo
R
D000328:Adult; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000378:metabolism; D002556:Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D004804:Eosinophils; D005260:Female; D005937:Glucaric Acid / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid; D006801:Humans; D006849:Hydrocephalus / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000469:parasitology*; D008214:Lymphocytes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009000:Monocytes; D020019:Neurocysticercosis / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000150:complications*; D044583:Neuroendoscopy; D011506:Proteins; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013129:Spinal Puncture; D055815:Young Adult
D002556:Cerebrospinal Fluid Proteins; D011506:Proteins; D005937:Glucaric Acid