title: Imbalance of circulating T-lymphocyte subpopulation in COPD and its relationship with CAT performance.
abstract: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with systemic effects, and T-cell-mediated immunity was involved in the COPD. COPD Assessment Test (CAT) could provide a valid, reliable, and standardized measure of COPD health status. The objective of this study was determination of lymphocyte subpopulation in patients with stable COPD (n = 52) and to ascertain if a relationship existed between T-lymphocyte subpopulation and CAT performance. The stable COPD patients were assessed with CAT, and divided into four groups with score >30 (n = 8), 20< score ≤30 (n = 16), 10< score ≤20 (n = 20), and score ≤10 (n = 8). Spearman's rank correlation was used to determine the relationship between proportion of T lymphocyte and CAT score. We found an elevated proportion of CD8(+)  cells in COPD patients of the group with score >30 compared to other groups. Proportion of CD4(+)  cells was significantly lower in the groups with score >30 and 20< score ≤30 when compared to groups with 10< score ≤20 and score ≤10. The CD4(+) :CD8(+)  ratio was also significantly lower in the groups with score >30 and 20< score ≤30. Of note are the correlations of proportion of CD8(+)  cells and CD4(+) :CD8(+)  ratio with CAT performance when score >20. No correlations existed between proportion of CD4(+) , CD8(+)  cells, CD4(+) :CD8(+)  ratio, and CAT performance when score ≤20. Our results show that the determinants of T-lymphocyte subpopulation in COPD patients were value to assess physical conditions. We considered CD4(+)  and CD8(+)  T lymphocytes to be a representative and stable parameter in grading of health status in COPD patients.
authors.affiliation: Respiratory Department, the First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, China.
authors.forename: Cheng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.forename: Chong-Jun
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Ni
authors.forename: Ye-Han
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Zhu
authors.forename: Jian-An
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Huang
mesh_terms: D016516:CD4-CD8 Ratio; D015496:CD4-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D018414:CD8-Positive T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology; D002465:Cell Movement / Q000276:immunology*; D019937:Diagnostic Techniques and Procedures; D005260:Female; D005434:Flow Cytometry; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D029424:Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive / Q000276:immunology*; D013601:T-Lymphocytes / Q000276:immunology*