Measurement of subgroups of peripheral blood T lymphocytes in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome and its clinical significance.
- Author:
Xiaoping TANG
1
;
Chibiao YIN
;
Fuchun ZHANG
;
Yonggui FU
;
Weilie CHEN
;
Yanqing CHEN
;
Jian WANG
;
Weidong JIA
;
Anlong XU
Author Information
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- MeSH: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; immunology; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Female; Humans; Leukocyte Count; Male; Middle Aged; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome; immunology; T-Lymphocyte Subsets; immunology
- From: Chinese Medical Journal 2003;116(6):827-830
- CountryChina
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
OBJECTIVETo investigate the changes of subgroups of peripheral blood T lymphocytes in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and its clinical significance.
METHODSSubgroups of blood T lymphocytes in 93 patients with SARS were detected by flow cytometer. The results detected in 64 normal subjects and 50 patients with AIDS served as controls.
RESULTSThe numbers of CD(3)(+), CD(4)(+), and CD(8)(+) lymphocytes all significantly decreased in acute phase of patients with SARS [(722 +/- 533)/microliter, (438 +/- 353)/microliter, (307 +/- 217)/microliter] compared with those in normal controls [(1527 +/- 470)/microliter, (787 +/- 257)/microliter, (633 +/- 280)/microliter, all P <0.01], which was different from what we observed in patients with AIDS who had decreased CD(4)(+) [(296 +/- 298)/microliter] but increased CD(8)(+) [(818 +/- 566)/microliter] counts. The counts of CD(3)(+), CD(4)(+), and CD(8)(+) lymphocytes decreased more apparently in patients with severe SARS. All the five patients who died had CD(4)(+) counts less than 200/microliter. As the patients' condition improved, CD(3)(+), CD(4)(+), and CD(8)(+) counts gradually returned to normal ranges.
CONCLUSIONThe damage of cellular immunity is probably an important mechanism of pathogenesis of SARS.
