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CSF glucose in Lyme Disease

CSF glucose, also described as CSF chemistry, is a csf marker with mixed findings in Lyme Disease (Lyme borreliosis, Borrelia burgdorferi infection): studies comparing patients with Normal CSF report both increases and decreases. Clinically, it has been associated with usually normal in Lyme meningitis. The evidence summarised here comes from Lantos et al. 2021 and reflects averages across cohorts rather than any single patient's result.

↕ InconsistentCSFLOINC 2340-8

Summary

Direction in Lyme Disease↕ Inconsistent — reported as both higher and lower across studies, with no consistent direction
CategoryCSF
Also described asCSF chemistry
Compared againstNormal CSF
Associated symptomsUsually normal in Lyme meningitis
Test typeTissue / pathology test
LOINC code2340-8
SourceLantos et al. 2021 — doi:10.1016/j.idc.2021.05.001
Condition atlasLyme Disease Biomarker Atlas

Trials, interventions and tests

Commercial test availability

CSF Glucose — commercial laboratory test. Requires lumbar puncture specimen.

Links are for reference only; availability, specimen requirements and coverage vary by location.

Related CSF markers in Lyme Disease

Full list: Lyme Disease Biomarker Atlas.

Frequently asked questions

Is CSF glucose high or low in Lyme Disease?

Mixed. Some studies report higher and others lower CSF glucose in Lyme Disease compared with Normal CSF, so no single direction is established. Source: Lantos et al. 2021.

What symptoms is CSF glucose associated with in Lyme Disease?

The cited literature associates this marker with Usually normal in Lyme meningitis. These are population-level associations and do not mean the marker causes the symptoms.

Which test measures CSF glucose?

It is measured as a tissue / pathology test. The standard laboratory code is LOINC 2340-8. Commercial laboratories such as Quest Diagnostics, LabCorp list an orderable assay.

Is one abnormal CSF glucose result diagnostic of Lyme Disease?

No. No single biomarker is diagnostic of Lyme Disease. CSF glucose findings come from group comparisons, overlap considerably between patients and controls, and vary with study design, timing and comparison group. A result should be interpreted by a clinician alongside symptoms, history and other tests.

Cite this page

Open Source Medicine Foundation. (2026). CSF glucose in Lyme Disease: direction, evidence and what it means. OSMF Research Tracker. Retrieved October 7, 2026, from https://research.opensourcemed.info/biomarkers/lyme/csf-glucose.html
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Last reviewed: 2026-06-29 · Page generated from lyme.json · Browse: Lyme Disease atlas · Biomarker Index · All marker pages

Disclaimer: This page is an educational synthesis of published, peer-reviewed research and is not medical advice. Biomarker findings vary across studies with case definitions, comparison groups, timing and assay methods. Direction of change reflects the predominant finding in the cited source and does not establish a diagnostic threshold. Discuss any test result with a qualified clinician.