CHANGES IN CELL AND PROTEIN-CONTENT OF CEREBROSPINAL-FLUID IN CHILDREN WITH ACUTE LYMPHOBLASTIC-LEUKEMIA AFTER ALLOGENEIC BONE-MARROW TRANSPLANTATION

The material from 59 and 134 cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) samples, taken in the week prior to grafting and during the first 100 days after graf ting respectively, were examined from 37 children undergoing allogenei c BMT. All CSF samples were obtained from lumbar punctures performed f or regular administration of methotrexate (MTX). Prior to bone marrow transplantation (BMT) the increased protein levels and increased cell numbers noted in two children were probably caused by arachnoiditis fr om MTX administration 5 days earlier. After BMT, cell numbers increase d in 54% of children and in 27% of children increased protein levels w ere found in the CSF. No correlation with clinical findings including neurological findings, infections and prior intrathecal MTX administra tion was found. The CSF changes observed are probably induced by the c onditioning regimen (i.e. cyclophosphamide and total body irradiation) . We conclude that the normal ranges for CSF components seen in health y individuals do not apply in BMT recipients during the first 100 days after grafting.