Vitiligo, rheumatoid arthritis and pernicious anemia.
A patient with a 46-year history of vitiligo who also presented rheumatoid arthritis and pernicious anemia is described. Meticulous physical examination excluded further systemic or cutaneous involvement. The immunological workup revealed a low CD4 cell percentage with T cells mostly composed of CD8 cells, a discrepancy between the high percentage of cumulative CD4 + CD8 cells and the measured CD3 proportions, very low NK cytotoxicity toward K562 cells, and almost negligible responses to PHA, Con A and PWM mitogens. The results point to severe T and NK cell functional defects. The pathogenetic significance of these data is discussed.
Abraham
Z
Z
Department of Dermatology, Reish Policlinic, Haifa, Israel.
Rozenbaum
M
M
Glück
Z
Z
Feuerman
E J
EJ
Lahat
N
N
Kinarty
A
A
D000368:Aged; D000752:Anemia, Pernicious / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D001172:Arthritis, Rheumatoid / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D001402:B-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007694:Killer Cells, Natural / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D008213:Lymphocyte Activation / Q000276:immunology; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology; D014820:Vitiligo / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*