Pyruvic Acid in Blood and Cerebrospinal Fluid. ∗

Abstract

Summary

1. The stability of pyruvic acid in the spinal fluid is described. 2. The relationship of blood to spinal fluid pyruvate is reported. The amount found in the cerebrospinal fluid is usually 70-120% of that found in a blood sample taken simultaneously. 3. Of the 16 cases with elevated blood pyruvate, 13 occurred in cases of known vitamin B₁ deficiency. These latter constituted the only cases in the entire study with definite clinical evidences of vitamin B₁ deficiency. In the other 3. it is suggested that a relative deficiency of vitamin B₁ may have existed. In 51 additional cases, without clinical evidence of vitamin B₁ deficiency, the blood pyruvate was normal in every instance.