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) |