Abstract
Blood glucose level, urea concentration, and total white blood cell count were determined both before and 10-15 minutes after lumbar puncture (LP) procedure in 26 infants suspected of having meningitis. There was a significant (p < 0.001) increase in the peripheral white blood cell (WBC) count (mean ± standard deviation) from 10,960 ± 3,500 cells/μl before to 13,300 ± 3,970 cells/μl following the LP procedure, due to relative rise in the neutrophils and lymphocytes. Blood glucose levels did not change significantly following this procedure (85.3 ± 13.4 mg/dl and 84.1 ± 12.6 mg/dl respectively). An LP procedure does not impair correct cerebrospinal fluid glucose/blood glucose determination but may cause elevation of peripheral WBC count.
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