Lysozyme Activity in Cerebrospinal Fluid

Abstract

The concentration of lysozyme (LZM) in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) was studied in 148 patients to evaluate its possible significance in the differential diagnosis of various diseases affecting the CNS. In the control group only 3 of 45 patients had detectable LZM in their CSF, the highest value being 1.3 .mu.g/ml. The diabetic and epileptic groups did not differ from the control group. Of 8 patients with primary intracranial tumors, 4 had raised CSF-LZM levels. Twenty of 23 uremic patients had elevated CSF-LZM, the highest value being 3.3 .mu.g/ml. The highest values were found in patients with bacterial meningitis, tuberculous meningitis and leptomeningitis due to Aspergillus fumigatus. A positive correlation was found between CSF-LZM and protein concentrations. The measurement of LZM may be of value in the diagnosis of inflammatory processes affecting the CNS and in the diagnosis of certain intracranial tumors.