Systemic inflammatory response with plasma C-reactive protein elevation in disk-related lumbosciatic syndrome.
OBJECTIVE
To look for a systemic inflammatory response in patients with disk-related lumbosciatic syndrome by using an ultrasensitive (US) plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) assay, and to determine whether plasma CRP-US levels correlated with clinical and/or laboratory features.


METHODS
Plasma CRP was assayed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) (detection limit, 5 microg/L) in patients with sciatica shown by computed tomography to be due to a disk herniation. Levels in 35 patients aged 23 to 64 years were compared to those in age- and sex-matched controls.


RESULTS
Mean CRP-US levels measured by ELISA were significantly higher in the patients than in the controls (1.68 vs 0.74 mg/L; P = 0.002). There was a trend toward higher CRP-US levels in the patients with more severe nerve root symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
The significantly higher plasma CRP-US levels by ELISA in our patients with disk-related lumbosciatic syndrome is consistent with a systemic inflammatory response to the local nerve root impingement.
Le Gars
L
L
Rheumatology Department, Saint-Antoine Teaching Hospital, Paris, France.
Borderie
D
D
Kaplan
G
G
Berenbaum
F
F
D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D000328:Adult; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism*; D004797:Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000097:blood / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D012585:Sciatica / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D002097:C-Reactive Protein