Cerebrospinal fluid protein findings in various lower back pain syndromes.

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) total protein, albumin and IgG concentrations were measured in 53 patients with lower back pain syndromes. In the majority of the patients (81 %) the protein values were within normal ranges, a finding contrary to previous studies. In six of 28 patients with acute lumbar disc prolapse and in two of four cases with spinal stenosis, a clearly abnormal protein pattern was observed, while patients who had been earlier operated on for disc prolapse showed normal values. The calculated permeability indexes suggest that the elevation of various proteins is linked with increased permeability across the blood-brain barrier and that the local immunoglobulin synthesis in CNS is lacking. In only one of the cases with an abnormal CSF protein pattern could no evidence of the cause of the pathological finding be observed in subsequent examinations.