What condition is often assessed alongside elevated protein levels in a lumbo-puncture result?

Elevated protein levels in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are a significant finding typically associated with bacterial meningitis. In this condition, the body’s response to the infection leads to increased permeability of the blood-brain barrier and the influx of protein into the CSF. This protein elevation is part of the pathological changes that occur during the inflammatory response to bacterial pathogens.

In addition, bacterial meningitis is characterized by the presence of white blood cells, predominately neutrophils, and often shows a decreased glucose concentration in the CSF compared to serum levels. The combination of these factors, alongside elevated protein, can help clinicians differentiate bacterial meningitis from other neurological conditions.

Multiple sclerosis, hemorrhagic stroke, and encephalitis may also show elevated protein levels in the CSF, but the specific combination of findings alongside elevated protein makes bacterial meningitis the condition most commonly assessed in this context.