Inflammation in Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament of Cervical spine:Monocytes increased significantly

Objective: To investigate the expression of inflammatory cells in patients with Ossification of the Posterior Longitudinal Ligament of the Cervical spine (COPLL), and to explore the relationship between inflammation and COPLL. Methods: The study included 215 patients with OPLL and 184 control patients without COPLL. For the case-control analysis, 147 patients with COPLL and 147 demographically matched control patients without COPLL were included through PSM. The Leukocyte count, neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes, eosinophils, basophils, hs-CRP, EMR, and NLR were assessed. Furthermore, the relationship between the inflammatory cells and the extent of COPLL was analyzed.The data were also compared between the patients with different types of COPLL. Results: The peripheral blood mononuclear cells in the COPLL group were significantly higher than those in the control group. The hs-CRP in the continuous types ofCOPLL group was significantly higher than that in other subtypes. No correlation was found between any of the biomarkers and the extent of ossification. Conclusion: Compared with patients with simple cervical spondylosis, mononuclear cells in the peripheral blood of patients with cervical posterior longitudinal ligament ossification are significantly higher, suggesting that patients with cervical posterior longitudinal ligament ossification may be accompanied by a special inflammatory response.