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Repeated lumbar punctures within 3 days may affect CSF biomarker levels
Martin Olsson1,2,3,4, Johan Ärlig5,6,7, Jan Hedner7,8
1Clinical Neurochemistry Laboratory, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, House V, 431 80, Mölndal, Sweden. martin.olsson@gu.se.
Fluids and Barriers of the CNS
|December 14, 2019
Summary
Repeated lumbar punctures (LP) can unexpectedly alter cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker levels. This finding suggests a methodological issue impacting research, particularly Alzheimer's disease biomarker studies.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Biochemistry
- Research Methodology
Background:
- Lumbar puncture (LP) is standard for collecting cerebrospinal fluid (CSF).
- Previous research explored CSF biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) in relation to sleep deprivation.
- The dynamics of CSF biomarkers following rebound sleep after deprivation were not fully understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate CSF biomarker changes after sleep deprivation and rebound sleep.
- To identify potential methodological issues related to repeated CSF collection via LP.
Main Methods:
- Two LPs were conducted within three days on 13 healthy volunteers.
- The experiment was repeated without sleep intervention in four additional individuals to isolate the effect of repeated LPs.
Main Results:
- A significant and unexpected increase in CSF biomarker concentrations was observed in the second LP sample.
- This rise in biomarker levels was consistent even without sleep manipulation, indicating a methodological artifact.
Conclusions:
- Repeated lumbar punctures may introduce inherent variability in CSF biomarker measurements.
- This finding has critical implications for Alzheimer's disease research and pharmacodynamic studies utilizing repeated CSF sampling.
