1.
Significance of changes of T lymphocytes subsets in children with infectious mononucleosis and the effects of different interventions
Chen ZG, Li M, Ji JZ, Chen H, Chen YF, Chen FH
Zhonghua Shi Yan He Lin Chuang Bing Du Xue Za Zhi [Chinese Journal of Experimental and Clinical Virology]. 2009;23((2):):118-20.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate changes of T lymphocytes subsets in children with infectious mononucleosis (IM) and the effects of different interventions. METHODS Forty-eight children with IM were enrolled, 28 cases were assigned to the group treated with intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) 400 mg/(kg x d) for 5 continuous days or IVIG 1 g/(kg x d) for 2 continuous days, the remaining 20 cases were treated with ganciclovir (GCV) 5-10 mg/(kg x d) for 5 consecutive days. All these children were given general supportive therapies. Twenty healthy children from healthcare clinic serviced as control group. RESULTS CD4 (%), CD8 (%) and the CD4/CD8 ratio in healthy control group were (34. 12 +/- 3. 53)%, (26. 22 +/- 4. 43)% and (1. 41 +/- 0. 3), in IVIG group were (24. 2 +/- 4. 3)%, (36. 4 +/- 6. 8)% and (0. 72 +/- 0. 12), and in GCV group were (23. 7 +/- 5. 1)%, (37. 3 +/- 7. 8)% and (0. 67 +/- 0. 13), respectively. CD4 (%), CD8 (%) and the ratio CD4/CD8 in the control group were significantly different from those in both groups with IM (P < 0. 05). Compared with pre-treatment levels, the 28 cases treated with IVIG had significant improvement, the CD4 (%) increased, CD8 (%) decreased and the ratio of CD4/CD8 increased after treatment (P < 0. 05). However, 20 cases in GCV treatment group made less changes (P > 0. 05) . Meanwhile, the clinical symptoms and signs in the IVIG group were improved faster than that in the GCV group (P < 0. 05). The rate of remission in IVIG group was 88. 7% vs. 59. 2% of GCV group (P < 0. 05); the hospital days in IVIG group were (9. 2 +/- 4. 3) days vs. (13. 8 +/- 5. 1) days in the GCV (P < 0. 05). CONCLUSION It is indicated that the subsets of T lymphocytes in peripheral blood are obviously abnormal in children with IM caused by EBV infection in acute phase. IVIG can regulate the immunological derangements of T lymphocytes subsets, on which anti-viral therapy alone may have little impact.