Elevated CSF-lactate is a reliable marker of mitochondrial disorders in children even after brief seizures
2011
Abstract
Increased lactate is an important biochemical marker in diagnosis of children with suspicion of mitochondrial disorders. A diagnostic dilemma may originate if analyses are performed after seizures, when the increased lactate levels may be considered to result from the seizures.
To address this problem, we ascertained the diagnostic value of lactate and alanine in blood and cerebrospinal fluid in children with mitochondrial disorders, epilepsy, psychomotor retardation, meningitis and meningism. Average blood and CSF-lactate levels were significantly higher in children with mitochondrial disorders and meningitis in comparison to other groups.
Short seizures do not increase the CSF lactate level.