Characterization of T lymphocyte subsets in hairy cell leukaemia: influence of splenectomy and correlations with the clinical stage of the disease.
Peripheral blood mononuclear cell surface markers were studied in a series of 26 hairy cell leukaemia patients 19 of whom were splenectomized previously. Patients with non-symptomatic and stable disease were distinguished from those with symptomatic and/or progressive disease (also termed "active" clinical stages). In all HCL patients as a group, the absolute number of CD4+ MN cells did not differ statistically from that of the controls, while the number of CD8+ MN cells was significantly increased. The reduction of the CD4/CD8 ratio in the peripheral blood of HCL patients as compared to the controls was explained by the reduction of this ratio in patients with "active disease", while the CD4/CD8 ratio of patients with non-symptomatic and stable disease did not differ statistically from that of the controls. The CD4/CD8 ratio was found to be influenced mainly by the clinical stage of the disease, and not by the effect of splenectomy.
Demeter
J
J
First Department of Medicine, Semmelweis University Medical School, Budapest, Hungary.
Mihalik
R
R
Benczúr
M
M
Lehoczky
D
D
Pálóczi
K
K
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000954:Antigens, Surface / Q000032:analysis; D002469:Cell Separation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007943:Leukemia, Hairy Cell / Q000276:immunology* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D013156:Splenectomy; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
D000954:Antigens, Surface