Podcast 556:  CSF - What is it good for?

Podcast 556: CSF - What is it good for?

Contributor: Eric Miller, MD

Educational Pearls:

  • A cell count is performed on tubes 1 and 4 to account for changes that may occur from blood entering the first sample from the needle insertion
  • Tube 2 and 3 are usually used for the other studies like protein levels, glucose levels and gram staining
  • Protein levels are often elevated in bacterial meningitis but can be helpful in diagnosis conditions like multiple sclerosis
  • Glucose levels are typically low in bacterial meningitis due to the use of glucose by bacteria
  • Cell counts above 3-5 cells are typically abnormal, but cell counts can vary widely depending on the type of meningitis (viral vs. bacterial) and how long the infection has been present.
  • Cell type and differential can indicate viral vs. bacterial meningitis
    • Neutrophils are more associated with bacterial causes
    • Lymphocytes are more associated with viral etiologies
  • CSF cultures are used to identify the cause of bacterial meningitis but can take days to result.
  • A gram stain can help determine if any bacteria are present as well as cell types present.

References

  1. Jain, R. Chang, WW. Emergency Department Approach to the Patient with Suspected Central Nervous System Infection. Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2018 Nov;36(4):711-722. doi: 10.1016/j.emc.2018.06.004.

Summarized by Jackson Roos, MS3 | Edited by Erik Verzemnieks, MD



Jaksot(1146)

Podcast 781: Foxglove, Dropsy, and Salvador Dali

Podcast 781: Foxglove, Dropsy, and Salvador Dali

Contributor: Chris Holmes, MD Educational Pearls: Foxglove plant contains the cardiac glycoside digoxin Foxglove leaf potions were once used to treat Dropsy; a historic term for symptoms of heart f...

16 Touko 20224min

Podcast 780: Pediatric Sedation Post-Intubation

Podcast 780: Pediatric Sedation Post-Intubation

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Recent study looking at a pediatric emergency department to determine what percentage of patients after intubation received sedation within 10 minute...

10 Touko 20223min

Podcast 779: Pulse Pressure in Trauma

Podcast 779: Pulse Pressure in Trauma

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Pulse pressure is the difference between the systolic and diastolic blood pressure, normal is about 40 A narrow pulse pressure is generally thought o...

9 Touko 20223min

Podcast 778: tPA for Frostbite Injury

Podcast 778: tPA for Frostbite Injury

Contributor: Peter Bakes, MD Educational Pearls: Mild frostbite injury usually only requires supportive care In severe frostbite injury, patients should receive an immediate angiogram, be admitted, a...

3 Touko 20223min

Podcast 777: Grass, Weed, and Ancient Rome

Podcast 777: Grass, Weed, and Ancient Rome

Contributor: Chris Holmes, MD Educational Pearls: Antiemetics were used in ancient Rome to help with sea-sickness and included toxic substances such as wine and wormwood and white hellborn The first ...

2 Touko 20225min

Mental Health Monthly #12: Management of Opioid Use Disorder with MAT (Medication-Assisted Treatment)

Mental Health Monthly #12: Management of Opioid Use Disorder with MAT (Medication-Assisted Treatment)

In this special episode of MHM, we feature Dr. Nadia Haddad, a Colorado psychiatrist, and Dr. Ricky Dhaliwal, an emergency medicine physician, as they discuss the implications of OUD in Colorado. As a...

27 Huhti 202225min

Podcast 776: Single-Site Blood Cultures

Podcast 776: Single-Site Blood Cultures

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Traditionally, blood cultures are drawn from two separate sites despite no data to suggest this is better than drawing blood from one site Recent stu...

26 Huhti 20222min

Podcast 775: Olecranon Bursitis

Podcast 775: Olecranon Bursitis

Contributor: Aaron Lessen, MD Educational Pearls: Olecranon bursitis refers to inflammation in the bursa of the elbow and can be due to infection or trauma Recent study examined treating suspected se...

25 Huhti 20223min

Suosittua kategoriassa Tiede

tiedekulma-podcast
rss-mita-tulisi-tietaa
rss-poliisin-mieli
docemilia
rss-duodecim-lehti
rss-luontopodi-samuel-glassar-tutkii-luonnon-ihmeita
utelias-mieli
rss-astetta-parempi-elama-podcast
filocast-filosofian-perusteet
rss-lapsuuden-rakentajat-podcast
rss-sosiopodi