Cerebrospinal Fluid Cyclic Adenosine 3’,5’-Monophosphate in Cases of Severe Cerebral Ischemia and Meningitis

Abstract
The concentration of cAMP in CSF was measured in 45 samples from 45 subjects (1 sample/subject). Of the studied persons, 12 were (control group) neurologically normal, 11 had acute cerebral ischemia with deep coma and 22 meningitis of different types. The mean value obtained in the control group was 21.4 .+-. (SEM [standard error of the mean]) 3.3 nmol/l, in the group of acute cerebral ischemic attack with deep coma it was 7.00 .+-. 0.81 nmol/l and in the group of meningitis 5.5 .+-. 0.4 nmol/l. These values are significantly lower than the control group (P < 0.001). These low levels, observed in the 2 groups of patients, may be attributed to the altered cAMP metabolism in the CNS because of deep coma and bacterial infections.