A consensus protocol for the standardization of cerebrospinal fluid collection and biobanking

There is a long history of research into body fluid biomarkers in neurodegenerative and neuroinflammatory diseases. However, only a few biomarkers in CSF are being used in clinical practice. One of the most critical factors in CSF biomarker research is the inadequate powering of studies because of the lack of sufficient samples that can be obtained in single-center studies. Therefore, collaboration between investigators is needed to establish large biobanks of well-defined samples. Standardized protocols for biobanking are a prerequisite to ensure that the statistical power gained by increasing the numbers of CSF samples is not compromised by preanalytical factors. Here, a consensus report on recommendations…

• RW
  Robert Wood Johnson Foundation
• NM
  National Multiple Sclerosis Society
• P
  Pfizer
• G
  GlaxoSmithKline
• S
  Sanofi
• B
  Biogen
• TP
  Teva Pharmaceutical Industries
• UC
  Université Catholique de Louvain
• UC
  Union Chimique Belge
• MS
  Multiple Sclerosis Society
• EC
  European Commission
• MD
  Ministero della Salute
• KI
  Karolinska Institutet
• UU
  Universität Ulm
• NI
  National Institutes of Health
• G
  Genentech
• ES
  EMD Serono
• MR
  Medical Research Council
• NE
  National Eye Institute