Low incidence of post-lumbar puncture headache in 1,089 consecutive memory clinic patients.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the incidence of post-lumbar puncture headache (PLPH) in patients admitted for cognitive disturbances.


METHODS
The incidence of PLPH and other general (subdural hematoma, meningitis, encephalitis) or local (local pain, spinal hematoma, local infection) complications was evaluated in 1,089 consecutive patients (aged 23-89 years) who underwent lumbar puncture as a part of the routine diagnostic evaluation between February 2001 and March 2007 at a specialized memory clinic.


RESULTS
28 (2.6%) of the patients reported PLPH of mild severity. No other local or general complications occurred.


CONCLUSIONS
The incidence of PLPH in patients with cognitive disturbances is low and CSF analyses can thus be part of the diagnostic work-up at memory clinics.
Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, The Sahlgrenska Academy at the University of Gothenburg, Mölndal, Sweden. henrik.zetterberg@gu.se
Henrik
H
Zetterberg
Kristian
K
Tullhög
Oskar
O
Hansson
Lennart
L
Minthon
Elisabet
E
Londos
Kaj
K
Blennow
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008569:Memory Disorders / Q000134:cerebrospinal fluid* / Q000175:diagnosis; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D051299:Post-Dural Puncture Headache / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013129:Spinal Puncture / Q000009:adverse effects*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D055815:Young Adult