Systemic immune response of patients with active pulmonary sarcoidosis.
Twenty-two patients with active pulmonary sarcoidosis had the subpopulations of the lymphocytes in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid measured. All 12 with hypergammaglobulinaemia had a T4/T8 ratio of greater than 2.0 and five of 10 without hypergammaglobulinaemia had a ratio less than 2.0 (chi 2 = 5.18, P less than 0.025). When an increased number of T4 lymphocytes was present in the BAL fluid, there was a significant decrease in the absolute number of T4 lymphocytes in the peripheral blood (chi 2 = 6.84, P less than 0.01). The number of T4 lymphocytes in the BAL fluid correlated with the subsequent response to daily steroid therapy for 2 months, as assessed by improvement in vital capacity (r = 0.89, P less than 0.01).
Baughman
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RP
Hurtubise
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D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006942:Hypergammaglobulinemia / Q000276:immunology; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008168:Lung / Q000276:immunology*; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification*; D008297:Male; D011241:Prednisone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D005719:gamma-Globulins / Q000032:analysis
D005719:gamma-Globulins; D011241:Prednisone