title: [Cellular immunity in chronic polyarthritis: the effect of basic therapy on T-lymphocyte subpopulations].
abstract: Monoclonal antibodies were used to determinee the various T-lymphocyte subpopulations in 51 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The findings were compared with an age-matched healthy control population. Patients with active rheumatoid arthritis display a significant decrease in suppressor T lymphocyte subsets as compared with RA-patients with inactive disease. The calculated immunological ratio (helper-suppressor ratio) is accordingly higher than in the inactive disease state or in normals. Remission-aimed therapy with slow-acting agents such as gold salts. D-penicillamin, levamisole or azathioprine induces not only a clinical improvement but also normalization of the immunological ratio. These findings support the hypothesis that immunological imbalance may play a crucial role in the development and perpetuation of rheumatoid arthritis.
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000276:immunology*; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer / Q000276:immunology; D050378:T-Lymphocytes, Regulatory / Q000276:immunology
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal
vernacular_title: Zelluläre Immunität bei der chronischen Polyarthritis: der Effekt der Basistherapie auf die T-Lymphozyten-Subpopulationen.