title: Presence of T-cell subset abnormalities in newly diagnosed cases of multiple sclerosis and relationship with short-term clinical activity.
abstract: Abnormalities of T-cell subsets in patients with multiple sclerosis are well known; in order to assess whether immunological abnormalities are relevant in the pathogenesis of the disease after its clinical onset, peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets (CD3+, CD4+, CD4(+)-CD45RA+, CD4+CD45RA-, CD8+, CD8+CD57+, CD57+, CD25+) were analysed serially in 25 patients at the first clinical episode suggestive of inflammatory demyelinating disease and in an equal number of age- and sex-matched controls. During the follow-up period (12-18 months, mean 14) 6 of 25 patients presented new relapses: in this subgroup of patients, significant changes in CD4+ ratio (% CD4+CD45RA-/%CD4+CD45RA+) were detected in comparison both with healthy controls and with clinically stable patients. Patients clinically stable at follow-up did not display immunological abnormalities, regardless of the presence or absence of cerebrospinal fluid and/or magnetic resonance imaging alterations consistent with multiple sclerosis. These findings suggest a possible prognostic role of early T-cell subset imbalance in multiple sclerosis.
authors.affiliation: Istituto Nazionale Neurologico C. Besta, Milan, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eoli
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ferrarini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dufour
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heltaj
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bevilacqua
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Comi
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Cosi
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Filippini
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Martinelli
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Milanese
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015703:Antigens, CD / Q000276:immunology*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009103:Multiple Sclerosis / Q000276:immunology*; D012008:Recurrence; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D015703:Antigens, CD