title: [Study of serum level of cortisol and peripheral T lymphocyte subsets state in the hepatitis B virus carriers].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To study of serum level of cortisol and peripheral T lymphocyte subsets state in the hepatitis B virus (HBV) carriers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty chronic HBV carriers and ten healthy controls were all enrolled in this present study. Serum expression of cortisol was determined by radioimmunoassay, and also flow cytometry was performed to evaluate peripheral blood T lymphocyte subset.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with those in normal controls, the serous levels of cortisol in chronic HBV carriers were significantly elevated, while there was no distinct difference in the proportion of CD4+ T lymphocytes ( P > 0.05) with the decreased odds of CD4+/CD8+ lymphocytes( P < 0.05) and obvious higher proportion of CD8+ T lymphocytes( P < 0.05). In comparison between HBeAg positive group and HBeAg negative group, the serous levels of cortisol of the former group were significantly higher ( P < 0.05), and so proportion of CD8+ T was too ( P < 0.05). However, there is no significant differences in the proportion of CD4+ T lymphocyte ( P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The elevated serum cortisol and increased CD8+ T lymphocytes subsets in the chronic HBV carriers, suggested that there was disturbance of endocrine-immune response in the chronicity of HBV infection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Hepatology, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University, Jinan 250012, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-peng
authors.initials: XP
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Yu-chen
authors.initials: YC
authors.lastname: Fan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002353:Carrier State / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology* / Q000821:virology; D005260:Female; D006509:Hepatitis B / Q000097:blood / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D006515:Hepatitis B virus / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood* / Q000276:immunology; D008297:Male; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology*
chemical_list: D006854:Hydrocortisone