[Rheumatoid blood serum factors in patients with traumatic injuries of the spinal cord].

Enzyme immunoassay was used in the research of the levels of rheumatoid factor (RF) of IgM and IgG in the blood serum of patients with the injury of the spinal cord and osteochondroses. Analysis of the results obtained demonstrated a 46% RF IgG seropositivity and 40% RF IgM seropositivity in the patients with the injury of the spinal cord in the late period of the disease. The patients with freshly injured CNS demonstrated 12 and 14% seropositivity, respectively. Osteochondrosis patients demonstrated a 33% RF IgG seropositivity. The detection of the blood serum RF enabled one to qualify the systemic lesions at the injury of the spine cord in the late period of the disease as a rheumatoid condition. On the basis of the data obtained a conclusion could be made of fact that the detection of RF was a reliable serological test for the assessment of the severity of the condition associated with the injury sustained.