CLINICAL EXPLORATION OF OSSIFICATION OF POSTERIOR LONGITUDINAL LIGAMENT ASSOCIATED WITH SERUM BIOMARKER OF ESR AND HS CRP

摘要

Ossification of the spinal ligaments is the term used to describe heterotopic ossified lesions that occurs in the spine. Ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) is done by means of ectopic new bone formation which replaces the ligamentous tissues. The present study aims to find out the association of serum ESR and hs CRP as biomarkers in the clinical assessment of ossification of posterior longitudinal ligament. A prospective study conducted at Swamy Vivekanandha Medical College Hospital and Research Institute, Tiruchengode and all patients with OPLL and controls were selected from the Department of Orthopaedics. The diagnosis of OPLL was based on radiographs and computed tomography (CT) scans of the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spines. A total of 95 patients with OPLL (56 men and 39 women: average age 75.3 ± 17.4 years, range 40±85 years) were available for a follow-up of more than 2 years with radiological examinations. The average follow-up duration was 5.2 ± 2.1 years (range, 2±10 years). The outcome of the study is that serum hs-CRP and ESR of the patients with OPLL is higher as compared to the controls. The hs-CRP within the OPLL progression group is higher than in the nonprogression group, indicating that infection might arise in OPLL. The observation is that these findings give us a better understanding the disease process and management of OPLL.