title: T-lymphocyte subsets in recurrent aphthous ulceration.
abstract: Peripheral T-lymphocyte subsets: T-helper (OKT4) and T-suppressor (OKT8) cells were studied quantitatively in 20 patients with recurrent aphthous ulceration (RAU) in ulcerative, as well as inactive, stages of the disease. The figures were compared with T-lymphocyte subsets from matched control donors with no history of RAU. The ratio of T-helper: T-suppressor cells was significantly lower in both stages in the patients compared with controls due to a significantly increased number of T-suppressor cells in RAU patients. The number of T-helper cells in the patients did not differ significantly in either stage compared with controls. The study support the hypothesis of recurrent aphthous ulceration being a disorder of immunodeficiency.
authors.affiliation: Dental Department, University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Klausen
authors.forename: H P
authors.initials: HP
authors.lastname: Hougen
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Stenvang
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012008:Recurrence; D013281:Stomatitis, Aphthous / Q000097:blood* / Q000473:pathology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification* / Q000473:pathology; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000473:pathology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000473:pathology