Cellular immunity characteristics in drug abusers with pulmonary tuberculosis.
- Author:
Kun LIU
1
;
Zhi-Qun CAI
;
Bi-Tong WU
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Adolescent; Adult; CD3 Complex; metabolism; CD4 Antigens; metabolism; Female; Humans; Immunity, Cellular; Killer Cells, Natural; immunology; Male; Middle Aged; Substance-Related Disorders; complications; immunology; T-Lymphocytes; immunology; metabolism; Tuberculosis, Pulmonary; complications; immunology; prevention & control; therapy; Young Adult
- From: Journal of Southern Medical University 2007;27(8):1239-1243
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVETo explore the characteristics of cellular immunity in drug abusers with pulmonary tuberculosis.
METHODSSixty drug abusers with pulmonary tuberculosis and 60 non-drug abusers with pulmonary tuberculosis (control) were enrolled in this study. Three days after establishment of a definite diagnosis, peripheral blood was taken from the patients for lymphocyte subgroup (CD3(+), CD3(+)/CD4(+), CD3(+)/CD8(+) T lymphocyte subgroups and NK cells) examination by flow cytometry, and the CD4(+)/CD8+(+) ratio was calculated. The difference of cellular immunity between the drug abusers and control group was analyzed statistically.
RESULTSCD3(+) and CD3(+)/CD4(+) T lymphocytes subgroups and NK cells of the drug abusers were significantly lower than those of the control patients (P=0.037, 0.028 and 0.015), and the former patients had also significantly lower CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio (P=0.021). The pulmonary tuberculosis types and CD3(+)/CD8(+) T lymphocyte subgroup were not significant different between the two groups (P=0.053 and 0.85).
CONCLUSIONDrug abuse might depress cellular immunity in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis, which further complicate the treatment of this disease.
