Cryptococcus neoformans commonly causes opportunistic infections in immunocompromised patients, especially in patients with AIDS. CD4+ T-lymphocytopenia in AIDS indicates an increased risk of opportunistic infection and a decline in immunological function. Idiopathic CD4 T-lymphocytopenia (ICL) is characterized by depletions in the CD4+ T-cell subsets, without evidence of HIV infection. Immunodeficiency can exist in the absence of laboratory evidence of HIV infection, and T-cell subsets should be evaluated in patients who present with unusual opportunistic infections. We report a case of pulmonary cryptococcosis and lung cancer in a patient with persistently low CD4+ cell counts, without evidence of HIV infection.
Aged ; CD4 Lymphocyte Count ; CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes/*pathology ; Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung/*complications/immunology ; Cryptococcosis/*complications/immunology ; Humans ; Lung Neoplasms/*complications/immunology ; Lymphopenia/*complications/immunology ; Male

Alterations of absolute number or percentage of circulating white blood cell (WBC) subsets are associated with psychological and physical stress. Gender effects on the changes of circulating WBC subsets following surgical treatment have not been determined. Therefore, the current study aimed to determine whether circulating neutrophils, lymphocytes and monocytes, and neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (N/L) are different following major surgery according to the gender. We studied 409 male patients and 212 female patients who underwent total or subtotal gastrectomy due to stomach cancer, from 1 January to 31 December in 2005. The WBC count and percentage of its subsets were obtained from database and N/L was directly calculated from the full blood count preoperatively, immediate postoperatively, and postoperative day 1, 3, 5 in a retrospective manner. Compared to preoperative values, neutrophilia, lymphopenia, monocytopenia, and increased N/L were associated with gastrectomy in all patients. In the comparison study between genders, there were significantly increased proportion of neutrophils, decreased lymphocytes and monocytes, and higher N/L in female patients than in male patients after gastrectomy. These findings indicate that female patients showed more immune-compromised response to gastrectomy than male patients.
Adult ; Aged ; Female ; Gastrectomy/adverse effects ; Humans ; Immunocompromised Host ; Leukocyte Count ; Lymphopenia/blood/etiology/immunology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Monocytes ; Neutrophils ; Postoperative Complications/etiology/immunology ; Retrospective Studies ; Sex Characteristics ; Stomach Neoplasms/*blood/immunology/*surgery

BACKGROUNDTo study the predictive factors associated with clinical deterioration in SARS patients.

METHODSThe clinical data of 60 SARS patients were analyzed by logistic regression and Cox's proportional hazards analysis.

RESULTSIn logistic regression models, both older age (P=0.009) and severe lymphopenia (P=0.004) were significant predictors of clinical deterioration. In Cox's proportional hazard models, severe lymphopenia was significant predictor associated with prolongation of stay in hospital.

CONCLUSIONOlder age and severe lymphopenia seem to be statistically significant for predicting the clinical deterioration in SARS patients.

Adult ; Aged ; Disease Progression ; Female ; Humans ; Logistic Models ; Lymphopenia ; virology ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Prognosis ; Proportional Hazards Models ; Random Allocation ; SARS Virus ; Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome ; complications ; diagnosis ; immunology ; virology