Possible implication of leukocytes in secondary pathological changes after spinal cord injury.
We reviewed 95 consecutive patients with cervical spinal cord injury admitted within 2 days of injury and treated nonoperatively, to elucidate the relationship between neurological deterioration and the white blood cell count in the first 4 days after injury. The count for 14 patients who had neurological deterioration was 13.2 +/- 3.2 x 10(9)/l, and that for 81 patients who had no deterioration was 11.0 +/- 3.1 x 10(9)/l. None of 19 patients whose highest white blood cell count was less than 9 x 10(9)l deteriorated, while 14 of 76 patients whose count was 9 x 10(9)/l or more deteriorated. These results suggest that the white blood cell is important in the secondary pathological changes after mechanical injury to the spinal cord.
Katoh
S
S
Department of Orthopedic Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Tokushima, Japan.
Ikata
T
T
Tsubo
M
M
Hamada
Y
Y
el Masry
W S
WS
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D013997:Time Factors