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Immune function in spinal cord-injured males.
Summary
Spinal cord-injured patients show elevated immune markers, even without infection. C-reactive protein (CRP) best predicts infection in these individuals.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Neurology
- Clinical Medicine
Background:
- Spinal cord injury (SCI) can impact immune function.
- Distinguishing infection from general inflammation in SCI patients is challenging.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare immune function in infected and noninfected SCI patients, bilateral amputees, and controls.
- To identify reliable predictors of infection in SCI patients.
Main Methods:
- Immune function assessed via acute phase reactants (ESR, CRP, A1G), T cell counts (ALC), and B cell function (GG).
- Subjects were at least three months post-injury, with no history of immune disease or relevant medications.
Main Results:
- No T or B cell dysfunction was observed.
- Acute phase reactants were elevated in SCI patients, irrespective of infection status.
- C-reactive protein (CRP) emerged as the strongest predictor of infection.
Conclusions:
- Elevated acute phase reactants are common in SCI patients, potentially indicating inflammation beyond infection.
- CRP is a valuable marker for predicting infectious complications in SCI.
- Further research should explore non-hospitalized patients and the causes of elevated acute phase reactants.