[Changes in the cerebrospinal fluid lactate concentration of children with cranio-cerebral injuries].

Examination of the cerebrospinal fluid in 43 children with craniocerebral trauma revealed a dependence of the lactate content on the degree of the injury (9.2 +/- 1.2 mg% in mild trauma; 13.5 +/- 1.7 mg% in moderate trauma; 18.3 +/- 1.7 mg% in severe trauma) and the clinical course. The cerebrospinal fluid is normalized 7-10 days after a moderate brain trauma, and in 3 weeks after a severe trauma. The findings suggest that the values of the cerebrospinal fluid lactate content are lower in children than in adults (9.7 mg%, on the average, in children under 10 years of age, and 11.3 mg% in those over 10 years of age).