T lymphocytes in children with recurrent respiratory infections: effect of the use of thymostimulin on the alterations of T-cell subsets.

Abstract

OKT3-, OKT4- and OKT8-positive cells were estimated in 303 children with recurrent respiratory infections. The patients (selected by a score method) had experienced 13 or more infections a year. Modifications in T-cell subsets were observed in 154 patients (50.8%). Decreased OKT3- and OKT4-positive cells were present in 80 children (26.4%), while 74 patients (24.4%) showed normal values of OKT3-positive cells but decreased OKT4- and increased OKT8-positive cells. An attempt at treatment with thymostimulin was undertaken in a group of randomly chosen children with modifications in T-cell subsets. The use of thymostimulin induced the treated children more readily than the untreated ones to show improvement in both the score for respiratory infections and the distribution of T-cell subsets.

• Authors: M De Martino, M E Rossi, A T Muccioli, A Vierucci
• Journal: International journal of tissue reactions (Int J Tissue React) Vol. 6 Issue 3 Pg. 223-8 ( 1984) ISSN: 0250-0868 [Print] Switzerland
• PMID: 6332795 (Publication Type: Comparative Study, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Antibodies, Monoclonal
• Thymus Extracts
• thymostimulin

Topics

• Antibodies, Monoclonal (immunology)
• Child
• Child, Preschool
• Female
• Humans
• Immunotherapy
• Male
• Respiratory Tract Infections (immunology, therapy)
• T-Lymphocytes (classification, immunology)
• Thymus Extracts (therapeutic use)