OBJECTIVE
To analyze the expediency of using serum indicators of ferritin and C-reactive protein levels as laboratory markers of the effectiveness of treatment of patients with odontogenic phlegmons of the maxillofacial region.
MATERIAL AND METHODS
The results of a study of 60 patients (men — n=30, women — n=30) with a diagnosis of «odontogenic phlegmon of the submandibular region, pterygomandibular, near-pharyngeal, subasseteral spaces» aged 18 to 45 years are presented. Blood sampling to determine ferritin and C-reactive protein in patients was performed initially on the day of admission to the hospital, and then on the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 8th and 10th days after surgery. The treatment of patients was carried out in accordance with the traditional protocol of patient management, and drug support included antibacterial, infusion-detoxification, desensitizing and symptomatic therapy. To statistically evaluate the results obtained, the STATISTICA application package version 10.0 and Microsoft Office Excel Worksheet with the «Data Analysis» option were used. Given the type of distribution, a nonparametric method was used — the Mann—Whitney U test. The differences corresponding to the estimation of the probability error p ≤ 0.05 were considered statistically significant.
RESULTS
The content of ferritin in the blood serum of patients operated on for odontogenic phlegmon of the maxillofacial region was studied. It has been shown that ferritin reflects the degree of activity of the purulent-inflammatory process, however, the peculiarities of its dynamics show the inexpediency of using it to predict the condition and treatment outcomes of patients with odontogenic phlegmons of the maxillofacial region.
CONCLUSIONS
The results of the study indicate that ferritin is inappropriate to use as a marker of the quality of treatment of purulent-inflammatory processes of the maxillofacial region. Laboratory monitoring of inflammatory processes in the maxillofacial region should include several markers of inflammation in the blood to assess the quality of treatment and the need for correction of therapy.
