title: Fetal lymphocyte subpopulations in red blood cell iso-immunised pregnancies.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study the association between fetal anaemia and alterations in lymphocyte subpopulations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Harris Birthright Research Centre for Fetal Medicine, King's College Hospital Medical School, London.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-three red blood cell iso-immunised pregnancies undergoing cordocentesis at 19 to 38 weeks gestation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fetal blood haemoglobin concentration, erythroblast count and lymphocyte subpopulations.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean T (CD3+), B (CD19+), T-helper (CD4+), T-suppressor/cytotoxic (CD8+) and natural killer (NK: CD16+/CD56+) cell counts in the anaemic fetuses were significantly lower than the appropriate normal mean for gestation (CD3+: t = -3.25, P < 0.01; CD19+: t = -2.14, P < 0.05; CD4+: t -4.03, P < 0.001; CD8+: t = -3.39, P < 0.01 and CD16+/CD56+: t = -3.49, P < 0.01). Furthermore, there was a significant association between the decrease in T lymphocyte number and the degree of fetal anaemia (r = 0.342, P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Fetuses from red blood cell iso-immunised pregnancies exhibit nonselective lymphopenia that is proportional to the degree of anaemia.
authors.affiliation: Harris Birthright Research Centre for Fetal Medicine, King's College Hospital School of Medicine, London, UK.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Thilaganathan
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Makrydimas
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Plachouras
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Nicolaides
mesh_terms: D000740:Anemia / Q000097:blood; D016175:B-Lymphocyte Subsets; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000097:blood; D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D011247:Pregnancy; D012203:Rh Isoimmunization / Q000097:blood*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets; D006377:T-Lymphocytes, Helper-Inducer
chemical_list: D005319:Fetal Hemoglobin