Butyrylcholinesterase in lumbar and ventricular cerebrospinal fluid

Objectives - This study establishes reference data for human lumbar CSF but yrylcholinesterase (E.C.3.1.1.8.) activity and investigates the enzyme acti vity in ventricular CSF. We comment on the relationship between CSF butyryl cholinesterase activity and other laboratory parameters. Subjects and Metho ds - We investigated 64 lumbar CSF samples obtained from a clinically healt hy population and 169 ventricular CSF samples collected from 90 neurosurgic al patients. Results - The reference range we recommend for lumbar CSF buty rylcholinesterase activity is 5.4 to 17.0 nmol/min x ml. The majority of ve ntricular butyrylcholinesterase activities in our patient subset ranged up to 5 nmol/min x ml. Conclusions - We established the relative influence of serum and CNS components on total CSF butyrylcholinesterase activity. The C NS fraction predominates the total butyrylcholinesterase activity in normal lumbar CSF. In ventricular CSF enzyme influx from serum outweighs the CNS component.