Concentration of 3′, 5′ Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate in Ventricular Cerebrospinal Fluid of Patients with Prolonged Coma after Head Trauma or Intracraneal Hemorrhage

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Abstract
A previous study showed that cerebrospinal fluid from the lateral ventricle of patients without disturbance of sensorium or intracranial pressure contains 15 to 30 nm 3′,5′ cyclic adenosine monophosphate. We measured the concentration of this cyclic nucleotide by radioimmunoassay in cerebrospinal fluid from the lateral ventricle of six patients with prolonged coma (20 days or longer) after head trauma (four), or spontaneous intracranial hemorrhage (two). Coma was graded IV to I in order of decreasing severity. Fluid was removed at intervals of six to 72 hours from a Rickham reservoir placed in the lateral ventricle.