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(1147)

Podcast # 498: Ortho Tips

Podcast # 498: Ortho Tips

Author: Susan Ryan, DO Educational Pearls: General orthopedic principles: Examine above and below the injury Document neurovascular status X-ray imaging typically requires three different views F...

19 Elo 201912min

Podcast #497: Does my patient with CP have ACS?

Podcast #497: Does my patient with CP have ACS?

Author: Dylan Luyten, MD Educational Pearls: While certain aspects of the history, exam, and EKG may increase likelihood of ACS, there is no one element that performs well on its own Elements of the...

15 Elo 201915min

Podcast # 496: Hallucinogens

Podcast # 496: Hallucinogens

Author: David Holland, MD Educational Pearls: Hallucinogenics have been used for a variety of cultural and religious reasons for thousands of years In the 1960's a Harvard professor began experimenti...

12 Elo 20197min

Podcast # 495: Trauma in the Elderly

Podcast # 495: Trauma in the Elderly

Author: Rachel Brady, MD Educational Pearls: Elderly patients (>65 years old) have a higher trauma mortality compared to younger patients, even though they have lower mechanisms of injury  Elder trau...

6 Elo 20196min

Podcast #494: A Standard Toxicology Approach

Podcast #494: A Standard Toxicology Approach

Contributor: JP Brewer, MD Educational Pearls: Obtaining collateral is often vital to determine the potential drugs accessible to the patient - this may include After this, use ancillary sources such...

2 Elo 20197min

Podcast # 493: One Pill for the Kill

Podcast # 493: One Pill for the Kill

Contributor: JP Brewer, MD Educational Pearls: Because of their smaller size, there are a variety of adult-dose pills that are potentially toxic to children. The most common categories of medication...

31 Heinä 20196min

Podcast # 492: Pain While on Buprenorphine

Podcast # 492: Pain While on Buprenorphine

Contributor: Don Stader, MD Educational Pearls: Buprenorphine is a partial Mu-agonist and binds with higher affinity than most opioids Pain management with opioids therefore can be difficult in patie...

26 Heinä 20194min

Podcast # 491: Buprenorphine for Withdrawal

Podcast # 491: Buprenorphine for Withdrawal

Educational Pearls: Buprenorphine is a semi-synthetic derivative of the opium poppy FDA approved for the treatment of opiate use disorder and chronic pain Benefit in emergency department use is the c...

24 Heinä 20194min

Suosittua kategoriassa Tiede

rss-poliisin-mieli
rss-mita-tulisi-tietaa
tiedekulma-podcast
rss-luontopodi-samuel-glassar-tutkii-luonnon-ihmeita
utelias-mieli
docemilia
rss-duodecim-lehti
radio-antro
filocast-filosofian-perusteet
rss-lihavuudesta-podcast
rss-sosiopodi