[Changes in fatty acids composition in cerebrospinal fluid of patients with myelopathy].

The composition of fatty acids in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with cervical myelopathy, thoracic myelopathy, cauda equina syndrome, and spinal cord injury were measured by gas chromatography. The relationship between the change in fatty acids composition and the improvement of symptoms and pathology were studied. The percent distribution of eicosadienoic acid (C20: 2) in fatty acids composition was found to be significantly increased in the cerebrospinal fluid of patients with cervical and thoracic myelopathies (p less than 0.05), and with incomplete spinal cord injury (p less than 0.01) against control group. Although the high percent distribution, especially over 10%, of C20: 2 in the cerebrospinal fluid of the patients with cervical or thoracic myelopathy before operation decreased after operation, no correlation was found between the decrease of percent distribution of C20: 2 and improvement of symptoms. A positive relationship was found between the decrease of percent distribution of C20: 2 and the improvement in symptom of patients with central spinal cord injury.