[Dynamics of peripheral blood lymphocytes and their subpopulations in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome].

He, Zhong-ping; Dong, Qing-ming; Zhuang, Hui; Song, Shu-jing; Liu, Zhi-ying; Feng, Xin

OBJECTIVE To study on the dynamics of peripheral blood lymphocytes and their subpopulations in patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome. METHODS Using flow cytometry, the absolute numbers of peripheral blood lymphocytes and their subpopulations in 240 SARS patients (696 specimens) and 51 individuals as controls, were counted and compared. RESULTS The absolute numbers of peripheral blood lymphocytes and their subpopulations (CD45, CD3, CD4, CD8) were 1298 +/- 785, 897 +/- 606, 510 +/- 372, 362 +/- 263/mm(3), respectively, significantly lower in SARS patients as compared to the normal controls (2024 +/- 423, 1391 +/- 289, 795 +/- 129, 551 +/- 183/mm(3)). Of SARS patients, severe group (1095 +/- 740, 740 +/- 562, 419 +/- 346, 304 +/- 244/mm(3)) had lower counts than that of mild group (1404 +/- 788, 991 +/- 612, 564 +/- 378, 396 +/- 267/mm(3)), and in group with deaths (587 +/- 493, 369 +/- 371, 204 +/- 191, 150 +/- 130/mm(3)) was lower than that of recovery group (1355 +/- 776, 948 +/- 603, 539 +/- 375, 382 +/- 263/mm(3)). There were significant differences (P < 0.01) for CD45, CD3, CD4, CD8, but with no significant difference (P > 0.05) for CD4/CD8 ratio between severe and mild, recovery and death groups. The lymphocytes and their subpopulations (CD45, CD3, CD4, CD8) declined in the 1st week and to the lowest level (977 +/- 579, 641 +/- 466, 360 +/- 275, 270 +/- 216/mm(3)) in the 2nd week. Then the lymphocytes and their subpopulations gradually increased during the recovery of the disease. CONCLUSION The absolute numbers of peripheral blood lymphocytes and their subpopulations in SARS patients might be used as one of the methods for diagnosis on the severity and prognosis of the disease.