A study of the relationship between type of lumbar disc herniation, straight leg raising test and peripheral T lymphocytes.

OBJECTIVE

To observe changes in peripheral T lymphocytes of patients with lumbar disc herniation, and investigate the relationship between the type of herniation, signs and T lymphocyte subsets.

METHODS

Blood samples from 20 healthy blood donors (control group), and 49 patients (27 male and 22 female) with single-level lumbar intervertebral disc herniation were collected, the latter preoperatively. T lymphocytes subsets were detected by flow cytometer. According to the position of the intervertebral disc observed during surgery, the patients were divided into ruptured disc herniation (RDH) and degenerative disc herniation (DDH) groups. Straight leg raising (SLR) was assessed preoperatively.

RESULTS

Percentages of CD3+, CD4+, and ratio of CD4+/CD8+ in the RDH group were significantly higher, and of percentage of CD8+ significantly lower, than were those in the control group. Percentages of CD4+ and ratio of CD4+/CD8+ were significantly higher, and percentage of CD8+ significantly lower, in the positive SLR test group than were those in the negative SLR test group. The positive rate of SLR testing was significantly higher in the RDH than in the DDH group.

CONCLUSION

Our results suggest that changes in T lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood take place after herniation of the lumbar intervertebral disc. T lymphocyte mediated immune responses may play an important role in the occurrence and development of signs in patients with herniated lumbar intervertebral discs. The SLR test may help to confirm that disc herniation has caused nerve root impairment by mechanical loading or inflammatory stimulus and provide guidance on the choice of treatment.