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BACKGROUND: In idiopathic adult hydrocephalus syndrome (IAHS), a pathophysiological model of "chronic ischaemia" caused by an arteriosclerotic process in association with a CSF hydrodynamic disturbance has been proposed. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether CSF hydrodynamic manipulation has an impact on biochemical markers related to ischaemia, brain tissue oxygen tension (PtiO(2)), and intracranial pressure. METHODS: A microdialysis catheter, a PtiO(2) probe, and an intracerebral pressure catheter were inserted into the periventricular white matter 0-7 mm from the right frontal horn in 10 patients with IAHS. A subcutaneous microdialysis probe was used as reference. Intracranial pressure and intracerebral PtiO(2) were recorded continuously. Samples were collected for analysis between 2 and 4 pm on day 1 (baseline) and at the same time on day 2, two to four hours after a lumbar CSF hydrodynamic manipulation. The concentrations of glucose, lactate, pyruvate, and glutamate on day 1 and 2 were compared. RESULTS: After CSF drainage, there was a significant rise in the intracerebral concentration of lactate and pyruvate. The lactate to pyruvate ratio was increased and remained unchanged after drainage. There was a trend towards a lowering of glucose and glutamate. Mean intracerebral PtiO(2) was higher on day 2 than on day 1 in six of eight patients. CONCLUSIONS: There is increased glucose metabolism after CSF drainage, as expected in a situation of postischaemic recovery. These new invasive techniques are promising tools in the future study of the pathophysiological processes in IAHS.

BACKGROUND: The symptoms in idiopathic adult hydrocephalus syndrome (IAHS) are consistent with pathology involving the periventricular white matter, presumably reflecting ischaemia and CSF hydrodynamic disturbance. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether a change in intracranial pressure (ICP) can affect energy metabolism in deep white matter. METHODS: A microdialysis catheter, a brain tissue oxygen tension probe, and an ICP transducer were inserted into the periventricular white matter 0-7 mm from the right frontal horn in 10 patients with IAHS. ICP and intracerebral Ptio2 were recorded continuously during lumbar CSF constant pressure infusion test. ICP was raised to pressure levels of 35 and 45 mm Hg for 10 minutes each, after which CSF drainage was undertaken. Microdialysis samples were collected every three minutes and analysed for glucose, lactate, pyruvate, and glutamate. RESULTS: When raising the ICP, a reversible drop in the extracellular concentrations of glucose, lactate, and pyruvate was found. Comparing the values during baseline to values at the highest pressure level, the fall in glucose, lactate, and pyruvate was significant (p < 0.05, Wilcoxon sign rank). There was no change in glutamate or the lactate to pyruvate ratio during ICP elevation. Ptio2 did not decrease during ICP elevation, but was significantly increased following CSF drainage. CONCLUSIONS: Raising intracranial pressure induces an immediate and reversible change in energy metabolism in periventricular white matter, without any sign of ischaemia. Theoretically, frequent ICP peaks (B waves) over a long period could eventually cause persisting axonal disturbance and subsequently the symptoms noted in IAHS.

OBJECT: Slow and rhythmic oscillations in intracranial pressure (ICP), also known as B waves, have been claimed to be one of the best preoperative predictive factors in idiopathic adult hydrocephalus syndrome (IAHS). Definitions of B waves vary widely, and previously reported results must be treated with caution. The aims of the present study were to develop a definition of B waves, to develop a method to estimate the B-wave content in an ICP recording by using computer algorithms, and to validate these procedures by comparison with the traditional visual interpretation. METHODS: In eight patients with IAHS, ICP was continuously monitored for approximately 20 hours. The ICP B-wave activity as a percentage of total monitoring time (B%) was estimated by using visual estimation according to the definition given by Lundberg, and also by using two computer algorithms (Methods I and II). In Method I each individual wave was classified as a B wave or not, whereas Method II was used to estimate the B-wave content by evaluating the B-wave power in 10-minute blocks of ICP recordings. CONCLUSIONS: The two computerized algorithms produced similar results. However, with the amplitude set to 1 mm Hg, Method I yielded the highest correlation with the visual analysis (r = 0.74). At least 5 hours of monitoring time was needed for an acceptable approximation of the B% in an overnight ICP recording. The advantages of using modern technology in the analysis of B-wave content of ICP are obvious and these methods should be used in future studies.