Abstract
A common clinical problem concerns the utility of repeat lumbar puncture (LP) in adults with acute bacterial meningitis (ABM), e.g., pneumococcal meningitis [1]. An LP is initially done for diagnostic purposes in patients with suspected ABM, i.e., diagnostic lumbar puncture (DLP). A repeat LP (RLP) may be done 1-3 days after the initial DLP, if the patient shows no improvement. If a patient with ABM is not doing well after three days, adequacy of antimicrobial therapy is the main concern. Other reasons for RLP is to detect possible intracranial complications of ABM unrelated to adequacy of therapy [1-2].
Highlights
A common clinical problem concerns the utility of repeat lumbar puncture (LP) in adults with acute bacterial meningitis (ABM), e.g., pneumococcal meningitis [1]
An LP is initially done for diagnostic purposes in patients with suspected ABM, i.e., diagnostic lumbar puncture (DLP)
Should the Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) lactic acid levels obtained on repeat LP (RLP) have greatly decreased, this is predictive of cure
Summary
A common clinical problem concerns the utility of repeat lumbar puncture (LP) in adults with acute bacterial meningitis (ABM), e.g., pneumococcal meningitis [1]. A repeat LP (RLP) may be done 1–3 days after the initial DLP, if the patient shows no improvement. If a patient with ABM is not doing well after three days, adequacy of antimicrobial therapy is the main concern.
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