title: Reduced levels of T-cell subsets CD4+ and CD8+ in homozygous sickle cell anaemia patients with splenic defects.
abstract: T-lymphocyte subsets were studied in two patient groups: (1) 50 patients with homozygous sickle cell anaemia (SCA) (mean age 12 (range 3-32) years old) in good health at the time of the study who showed no infectious complication. (2) 50 patients (mean age 13 (range 4-29) years old) with normal haemoglobin rate. The global response revealed a significant increase in levels of CD3+ (P=0.04) and CD8+ (P=0.04) cells when compared with the control group, there was no significant difference in levels of CD4+ cells (P=0.05) between the two groups. However, there was a relationship between T-cell subpopulation levels and spleen status. The average values of T-cell subsets (CD4+ and CD8+) in patients with SCA-induced splenic defects (asplenic, splenomegaly or splenectomized patients) were significantly reduced when compared to SCA patients with normal spleens and the control groups. These data show that T-cell activity was reduced in patients with splenic defects. A correlation between splenic status and a perturbed host defence system in patients with SCA suggests that monitoring T-cell subsets might have prognostic value in the course of sickle cell disease.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000150:complications* / Q000276:immunology*; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004198:Disease Susceptibility; D006720:Homozygote; D006801:Humans; D007111:Immunity, Cellular; D007239:Infections / Q000209:etiology; D018655:Lymphocyte Count; D013154:Spleen / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000276:immunology; D013156:Splenectomy / Q000009:adverse effects; D013163:Splenomegaly / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets