Studies in cerebrospinal acid base values in intensive care patients.

CSF acid base homeostasis was studied in 22 patients in an Intensive Care Unit, to ascertain whether an assessment of this parameter was of any prognostic value. The only significant findings were a lower CSF bicarbonate concentration in those patients who demised, as well as a poor correlation between CSF pH and both CSF PCO2 and bicarbonate. It was concluded that an assessment of CSF acid base balance was of no prognostic value in this particular group of patients.