title: Prognostic value of T lymphocyte subset ratio in idiopathic membranous nephropathy.
abstract: The behavior of T lymphocyte subsets was studied in 39 Italian patients with nephrotic syndrome due to idiopathic membranous nephropathy. They took part in a long-term prospective and randomized therapeutic trial based on the 6-month administration of methylprednisolone and chlorambucil. The lymphocyte subsets were evaluated by monoclonal antibodies at the beginning of the trial and at the end of the follow-up period in 23 treated and in 16 untreated patients. Our data seem to suggest that a higher helper-inducer/suppressor-cytotoxic cell ratio before therapy may be a good prognostic index of improved proteinuria. Moreover, the therapeutic schedule does not seem to induce a long-lasting abnormality in cellular immunity.
authors.affiliation: Divisione di Nefrologia e Dialisi, Ospedale M. Malpighi, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Zucchelli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ponticelli
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Cagnoli
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aroldi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Beltrandi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D002699:Chlorambucil / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008875:Middle Aged; D009404:Nephrotic Syndrome / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology*; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D011897:Random Allocation; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000145:classification*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D002699:Chlorambucil; D008775:Methylprednisolone