OBJECTIVETo explore the T-lymphocyte dysfunction in children with repeated infection of lower respiratory tract of both Qi-Yin deficiency type (RIR-QYD) and the immune regulatory effect of zengmian mixture (ZMM), to provide theoretical basis for the effective therapy.

METHODSPeripheral T-lymphocyte subsets and expressions of T-lymphocyte activating related surface molecules (CD3+/HLA-DR+ and CD3+/CD25+, etc.) in children with RIR-QYD, 31 of mild type and 28 of severe type cases, were investigated before administration of ZMM and after treatment of ZMM for 3-6 months (non-infectious stage), using immune fluorescent labelling and flow cytometric technique.

RESULTSIn the patients with mild RIR-QYD, the expression rate of CD4+ and CD3+/HLA-DR+ activated T-cells before treatment were all obviously lowered, after 3 months treatment, the positive rate of CD4+, CD3+/HLA-DR- resting T-cell, CD3+/HLA-DR+ activated T-cell and CD3+/CD25+ express IL-2R T-cells were all obviously lowered, but after treatment for 6 months, only that of CD3+/HLA-DR+ activated T-cells was lower than that in the control group. In the patients with severe RRI-QYD before treatment, the expression rate of CD3+, CD4+, CD3+/HLA-DR-, CD3+/HLA-DR+ and CD3+/CD25+ all lowered, while after 3-6 months treatment, some recoveries were shown in these parameters but still lower than those in the control group. The total effective rate of ZMM for mild patients was 100%, and the markedly effective rate 78.9%, while for severe cases, the total effective rate was 90.9% and the markedly effective rate 68.2%.

CONCLUSIONIn patients with RIR-QYD, the T-cells decreased with activating dysfunction, the severity of disease is in accordance with the degree of T-cell activating dysfunction. ZMM shows markedly clinical effect in treating RIR-QYD and evident regulatory effect on T-cell dysfunction, but a long-term treatment is needed for the recovery of laboratory parameters.