Measurement of peripheral blood immune cells in severe influenza A (H1N1) patients and its clinical significance

Abstract

Objective To observe the changes of blood lymphocyte in severe influenza A (H1N1) patients, and to investigate the immunopathogenesis of the influenza A( H1N1 ) patients and the clinical value of lymphocyte detection in influenza A (H1N1) diagnosis. Methods The changes of blood lymphocyte subs,ets (T cells, B cells, NK cells) were determined by the flow cytometer analysis in41 patients with serious and critical influenza A (H1N1) and 41 patients with mild influenza A(H1N1). Results The counts of total T cells, CD4+ T cells,CD8+ T cells, NK cells all significantly decreased in acute phase of serious and critical patients compared with those in mild patients (total T cells, CD8+T cells,NK cells, P＜0.01;CD4+T cells, P＜0.05). The counts of above cells in critical influenza A ( H1N1 ) patients were less than those in serious patients(P＜0.01). As the conditions improved in serious and critical patients, the counts of total T cells, CD8+T cells and NK cells were still less than those in mild patients(total T cells, CD8+T cells, P＜0.05; NK cells, P ＜ 0.01 ). The counts of B cells were higher than that in mild individuals ( P＜0.05). Conclus The patients with serious and critical influenza A (H1N1) are markedly impaired with cellular immunity. Key words: Influenza A virus, H1N1 subtype; Lymphocyte subsets; Immumity