Cerebrospinal fluid and serum levels of albumin, IgG, IgA and IgM in patients with intracranial tumors and lumbar disc herniation.

CSF and serum albumin, immunoglobulin (Ig) G, IgA and IgM were measured in 100 patients with intracranial tumors, 79 with lumbar disc herniation and 68 free of neurologic diseases. Increases in one or more of the CSF Igs were observed in 46% of the patients with lumbar disc herniation and in 77% of those with intracranial tumors. The CSF-serum protein distribution suggested that impairment of the blood-brain barrier and CNS synthesis of IgG occurred in 15 and 8% of the patients with lumbar disc herniation, respectively; the proportions of tumor patients were 12 and 22%.