Effect of time and autologous serum addition on the analysis of cerebrospinal fluid in horses.
Authors: Quattrini Camilla, Scalco Rebeca, Vernau William, Dini Pouya, Aleman Monica
Journal: Journal of veterinary internal medicine
Summary
# Editorial Summary Cerebrospinal fluid analysis is critical for diagnosing equine neurological conditions, yet CSF's biological instability means delayed processing risks compromising cytological results and potentially misleading clinical interpretation. This prospective study examined whether adding autologous serum to CSF samples improved cellular preservation during refrigerated storage, comparing ten horses' samples across 96 hours with assessments at regular intervals. Cell morphology—the primary concern—deteriorated significantly in untreated control samples by 48 hours (median score 2 versus baseline 1, worsening further to median 3 by 96 hours), whilst samples supplemented with four drops of autologous serum maintained normal morphology throughout the observation period; total nucleated cell counts and protein concentrations remained stable regardless of treatment, suggesting these parameters are less susceptible to time-related degradation. For equine practitioners managing referral cases or operating remotely, supplementing a CSF aliquot with autologous serum before refrigerated shipping offers a practical, cost-neutral method to preserve diagnostic accuracy of cytological findings for up to four days—a meaningful advance when sample recollection isn't feasible and rapid diagnostic turnaround isn't possible.
Read the full abstract on PubMed
Practical Takeaways
- •Add autologous serum to CSF samples before shipping to maintain reliable cytological interpretation for up to 96 hours, particularly important when samples cannot be analyzed immediately
- •Standard refrigeration at 4°C without serum addition causes cell morphology degradation within 48 hours, potentially compromising diagnostic accuracy
- •TNCC and protein measurements remain reliable even with delayed processing, but cell morphology assessment requires serum supplementation for extended delays
Key Findings
- •Cell morphology scores deteriorated significantly in control CSF samples at 48, 72, and 96 hours post-collection compared to baseline (T0), but remained stable in serum-supplemented samples
- •Total nucleated cell count remained stable over 96 hours in both control and serum-supplemented groups
- •Addition of autologous serum to CSF samples preserved cell morphology for up to 96 hours at 4°C storage
- •CSF protein concentration showed no significant change between T0 and T96 hours in control samples