β-Trace Protein as a Marker for Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea

Abstract

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage occurs mainly as a complication of head injuries or skull-base surgeries, but may also occur spontaneously or as a result of nontraumatic processes such as inflammatory disorders or tumors (1). Detection and management of CSF leakage is essential to prevent possible life-threatening infections of the central nervous system (2). Radiologic and invasive procedures may be used for the diagnosis of CSF leaks, but these procedures are laborious, expensive, and present potential risk to the patient. Therefore, noninvasive laboratory methods serve as screening procedures before definitive procedures are used to localize the site of the defect.