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Subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) is spontaneous arterial bleeding into the subarachnoid space which is associated with high mortality and morbidity. To aid diagnosis, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) can be examined for xanthochromia which is yellow discoloration, indicating the presence of bilirubin. The Department of Pathology offers a Monday-Friday (08:00-17:30), state-wide service for the detection of CSF xanthochromia. We audited our current service to assess clinical utility and the feasibility of offering a 24-hour laboratory CSF xanthochromia service. Seventy-eight CSF samples were received for xanthochromia testing from 2017-2018. There were no samples in which SAH was detected, and in one third of samples the patient was discharged prior to receiving the result. We estimated the base cost of offering a 24-hour CSF xanthochromia service would be $20,000, and the cost of analysing a sample out of working hours to be $2,600. Given the significant number of patients discharged prior to receiving the CSF xanthochromia result, a more targeted approach to the utilisation for this testing should be pursued.

Item Type:	Refereed Article
Keywords:	xanthochromia, subarachnoid haemorrhage, bilirubin
Research Division:	Health Sciences
Research Group:	Epidemiology
Research Field:	Epidemiology not elsewhere classified
Objective Division:	Health
Objective Group:	Clinical health
Objective Field:	Clinical health not elsewhere classified
UTAS Author:	Handley, S (Dr Simon Handley)
UTAS Author:	Tran, V (Associate Professor Viet Tran)
ID Code:	149572
Year Published:	2020
Deposited By:	Medicine
Deposited On:	2022-04-04
Last Modified:	2022-05-12
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