Pediatria pre prax 5/2002
Diagnostický význam nízké hladiny chloridů v moku – soumrak jednoho medicínského mýtu
Diagnostic significance of lower chloride level in lioqur – the dusk of one medical myth We have a long tradition of conviction about pathognomonic significance of lower chloride level in liquor for a diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis therefore many Czech laboratories provide this method routinely. But this diagnostic entity is momentarily very rare in developed countries on the contrary to developing ones. International medical literature doesn´t pay any attention to chloride levels. Its decreasing level in liquor follows changing in plasmatic level which is due to vomiting or inadequate secretion of antidiuretic hormone. The etiology of metabolic hypochloremic alkalosis is also very broad. It seems that including a chloride level examination in liquor in a standard laboratory battery test isn´t adequate and rational from the current point of view. Keywords: liquor, chlorides, tuberculous meningitis, lumbal puncture.
