Correlation between Serum Level of Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 and Postoperative Recurrence of Spinal Tuberculosis in the Chinese Han Population

OBJECTIVE To correlate serum level of monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) with postoperative recurrence of spinal tuberculosis in the Chinese Han population. METHODS Patients of Han nationality with newly diagnosed spinal tuberculosis were consecutively included in this study. At different time points postoperatively, serum level of MCP-1 was determined using an enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Recurrence of spinal tuberculosis after surgery and during the follow-up period was recorded. The correlation between serum MCP-1 level and recurrence of spinal tuberculosis was analyzed. RESULTS A total of 169 patients with spinal tuberculosis were included in the study and followed up for an average of 2.2 ± 1.3 years (range, 1-5 years). Of these patients, 11 had postoperative recurrence of spinal tuberculosis. The patients' serum level of MCP-1 increased significantly after postoperative recurrence of spinal tuberculosis. Once the symptoms of recurrence were cured, the serum level of MCP-1 decreased significantly and it did not differ from patients without disease recurrence. CONCLUSION Postoperative recurrence of spinal tuberculosis is likely to increase the serum level of MCP-1.