Trauma Causes Differential Alterations Of Polymorphonuclear Leucocyte (Pmn) Activation And Acute Phase Reactants Blood Levels In A Human Inflammation Model

The aim of the study was to monitor the inflammatory response in patients after monotrauma surgery followed by an uneventful healing course acting as a trauma model by new and established inflammatory parameters. A new PMN migration device was introduced assessing their "priming state" in a whole blood membrane filter device simulating the interstitium, additionally whole blood chemiluminescence (CL), PMN elastase, malondialdehyde (MDA), and conventional inflammatory parameters were estimated. PMN's migratory parameters reflected minima on days 3 and 12 marking an unspecific immune depression; no correlation with PMN elastase release was found. A posttraumatic decrease of CL-activity correlated with decreasing PMN elastase levels; MDA and white blood cell count remained within the normal range all the time. In the need for new rapid diagnostic procedures, PMN whole blood migratory parameters in a filter device designed for rapid measurement of the near in-vivo state of the actual immune activation, together with whole blood CL and PMN elastase may become a useful tool for monitoring an impairment of the unspecific defense system.