A Rare Case of Meningitis - Labs

Dr. Salman Tahir - Labs

Continuing to discuss Dr. Salman Tahir’s case (RIP.) Today we will discuss the labs.

p.s. please avoid commenting to offer what could have been done differently. His family’s point of view is to offer this information to help save lives.

Increased neutrophils and NETosis
https://www.the-scientist.com/news-opinion/neutrophil-extracellular-traps-may-augur-severe-covid-19-67588

Patients with low lymphocyte count lymphopenia have poorer outcome
https://jintensivecare.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s40560-020-00453-4

Calculating the anion gap
AG = Sodium - (chloride and bicarb)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anion_gap


High anion gap acidosis
Mnemonic: MUDPILES
Methanol
Uremia
Diabetic ketoacidosis
Paracetamol
Infection, iron, isoniazid leading to lactic acidosis
Ethylene glycol
Salicylates
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_anion_gap_metabolic_acidosis#:~:text=High%20anion%20gap%20metabolic%20acidosis%20is%20a%20form%20of%20metabolic,enough%20acid%20from%20the%20body.

Arterial blood gases (ABGs)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arterial_blood_gas_test


Lymphocytic meningitis
https://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1413-86702007000500010

Platelet count can reduce by heparin in some cases
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/full/10.1161/circulationaha.106.632653

Increased LDH levels
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lactate_dehydrogenase