Review of immune function, healing of pressure ulcers, and nutritional status in patients with spinal cord injury.
The immune, neural, and endocrine systems do not act autonomously; rather, multiple communicative pathways exist among the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems that facilitate physiological immunoregulation. Patients with spinal cord injury (SCI) have decreased natural and adaptive immune responses by 2 weeks after injury. In patients with SCI, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and urine-free cortisol levels were increased while zinc and albumin levels were decreased, respectively. In addition, the surface markers alpha 2, alpha 3, alpha 4, CD11a, CD11b, CD18, CD54, and CD8 found on lymphocytes and alpha 3, alpha 4, CD11a, CD18, and CD8 surface markers found on granulocytes were also decreased in the patient population. Finally, the adhesion molecules binding ability in the SCI group was also decreased when compared with a control group. Overall, the investigation showed that patients with SCI have a decreased immune function, especially succeeding the SCI injury, an impaired nutrition status, and a decreased number of adhesion molecules, all of which contribute to delayed wound healing.
Department of Pathology, University of Mississippi Medical Center, Jackson 39216, USA.
J M
JM
Cruse
R E
RE
Lewis
S
S
Dilioglou
D L
DL
Roe
W F
WF
Wallace
R S
RS
Chen
D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000097:blood; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D007108:Immune Tolerance / Q000276:immunology; D007153:Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes / Q000276:immunology*; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D003668:Pressure Ulcer / Q000276:immunology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000276:immunology*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000276:immunology*
D015703:Antigens, CD; D015815:Cell Adhesion Molecules