[Assessment of the immuological status in patients with nonspecific spinal osteomyelitis]

The authors describe results of the investigation of the immunological status of 54 patients with nonspecific osteomyelitis of the spine (NOS). The immunological status of NOS patients was shown to be substantially different in the acute and chronic phases of the disease. Cases with lower T-lymphocyte activity, with a dysfunction of the phagocytic activity of lymphocytes prevail in the acute phase. Patients with septic forms of NOS have a hyperergic systemic inflammatory response which is accompanied by functional defectiveness of T-lymphocytes and excessive stimulation of the humoral link. Patients with the chronic form of NOS as a rule have hypoergic systemic inflammatory response with the normal quantity of T-cells, non-completed phagocytosis and high activity of B-lymphocytes (CD20, CD25). So, the early immunological diagnosis of NOS allows prognosis of the disease course and a timely decision for the pathogenetical therapy.