C-REACTIVE PROTEIN IN ODONTOGENOUS OSTEOMYELITIS

During acute odontogenous osteomyelitis of the jaws, C-reactive protein appears in the blood, and the quantity of it depends on the acuteness of inflammation and the body temperature. The content of C-reactive protein is found in a reversely proportional dependency on the remoteness of the disease the smaller the remoteness the more protein in the blood. A direct dependency between the amount of C-reactive protein and the ESR is not observed. A sharply positive reaction to this protein in the majority of cases corresponds to a higher content of leukocytes. Following an operation with inflammatory processes the amount of C-reactive protein is rapidly lowered. During chronic osteomyelitis, C-reactive protein is not present in all patients and the quantity of it is significantly less than during acute processes. Following the operation, in these patients the protein is preserved for a long time in the blood and a sharp lowering of it is not observed.