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Table 4 Reference ranges for routine parameters

From: S1 guidelines “lumbar puncture and cerebrospinal fluid analysis” (abridged and translated version)

Parameter

Method

Reference range

Appearance

Inspection

clear, colorless

Cell count (Leukocytes/μL)

Manual evaluation by light microscopy, Fuchs-Rosenthal chamber

< 5

Differential cytology staining

Manual evaluation by light microscopy, Pappenheim staining

Lymphomonocytic (ratio 2:1 bis 3:1)

Total protein (mg/L)

Nephelometry/Turbidimetry

< 500

L-Lactate (mmol/L)

Enzymatic

0.9 – 2.7 (age dependent) [102]

Glucose (L/S)

Enzymatic

> 0.50

Albumin (L/Sx10−3)

Nephelometry

< 5 - 10 (age dependent)

Ig-Synthesis in CNS

Nephelometry

Not detectable

Pathogens

Gram staining, culture, light microscopy, PCR, antigen detection

Not detectable

Pathogen-specific antibody (intrathecal synthesis)

Enzyme immunoassays

Not detectable

Brain-specific proteins (pg/mL)

Enzyme immunoassays

Tau-Protein (< 450)

Phospho-Tau (< 60)

Abeta1-42 (> 550)

(Laboratory- and assay dependent ranges)

Abeta1-42/Abeta1-40-Quotient (> 0,1)

  1. L/S = CSF/Serum quotient