Systemic inflammatory response with plasma C-reactive protein elevation indisk-related lumbosciatic syndrome

Objective, To look for a systemic inflammatory response in patients with di sk-related lumbosciatic syndrome by using an ultrasensitive (US) plasma C-r eactive protein (CRP) assay, and to determine whether plasma GRP-US levels correlated with clinical and/or laboratory features. Patients and methods, Plasma CRP was assayed using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) ( detection limit, 5 mug/L) in patients with sciatica shown by computed tomog raphy to be due to a disk herniation. Levels in 35 patients aged 23 to 64 y ears 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 towa rd higher CRP-US levels in the patients with more severe nerve root symptom s. Conclusion. The significantly higher plasma CRP-US levels by ELISA in ou r patients with disk-related lumbosciatic syndrome is consistent with a sys temic inflammatory response to the local: nerve root impingement. (C) 2000 Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.