[Immunological characteristics of 1291 cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome in Beijing].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the immunological characteristics of the cases of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) in Beijing City.


METHODS
Clinical data of 1291 patients with SARS from March to July 2003 in Beijing City were retrospectively analyzed.


RESULTS
In patients with SARS, the absolute numbers of white blood cells, lymphocytes and CD(3), CD(4) and CD(8) lymphocyte subsets decreased during the early period of the disease, being manifested in 56.91%, 88.26%, 47.96%, 45.56% and 41.10% of the patients, respectively. During the first 3 days the median numbers of CD(3), CD(4) and CD(8) were 425 x 10(6)/L, 223 x 10(6)/L, 170 x 10(6)/L, respectively, being the lowest values in the course of the disease. During the second week the corresponding numbers were 536 x 10(6)/L, 267 x 10(6)/L, 224 x 10(6)/L, respectively; they returned to normal by the fourth week (P < 0.05), showing a trend of gradual increase during the disease progression. Comparison of different time points of the same cases also showed that CD(3), CD(4) and CD(8) were lowest in the first 1 - 3 days. The median number of CD(3) was higher (954 x 10(6)/L) during week 3, and there was no significant difference among other 3 weeks (P > 0.05). In the early period of the disease the CRP increased but ESR, C(3) and C(4) were still in normal ranges.


CONCLUSIONS
In the early period of SARS, the WBC, lymphocytes, CD(3), CD(4) and CD(8) lymphocyte subsets decreased remarkably, and they tended to increase as the disease progressed. Simultaneous decreases in CD(3), CD(4) and CD(8) during the first week is a characteristic immunological change, which may facilitate the early diagnosis of SARS.
Department of Rheumatology, Beijing Hospital, Beijing 100730, China.
Ci-bo
CB
Huang
Qian
Q
Wang
Gao-qiang
GQ
Xie
Ai-hua
AH
Liu
Bei
B
Lai
Ying-juan
YJ
Chen
Yong-jing
YJ
Cheng
Hua
H
Xu
De-min
DM
Han
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007113:Immunity, Innate; D007223:Infant; D007958:Leukocyte Count; D016131:Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D045169:Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome / Q000276:immunology*