Comparison of CD4 and CD8 lymphocyte counts in HIV-negative pulmonary TB patients with those in normal blood donors and the effect of antitubercular treatment: Hospital-based flow cytometric study

Abstract

Background: This study was designed to flow cytometrically determine baseline and sequential values of CD4 and CDS lymphocyte subsets in patients without the human immunodeficiency virus and with pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) and to correlate these values with those obtained from normal male blood donors and with the radiologic extent of disease and response to therapy. Methods: We studied 39 male patients without the human immunodeficiency virus and with sputum positive for pulmonary TB who had been admitted to Military Hospital (Cardiothoracic Center) in Pune, India. Clinical, laboratory, and radiologic evaluations of these patients were done. Hematologic parameters were assessed by an automated hematology cell counter (AcT*Diff, Coulter), and T-cell subsets (CD4 and CD8) were determined flow cytometrically (EPICS-XL, Coulter). Results: CD4 counts and percentages of CD4 were significantly lower, but CDS values were normal, in patients with pulmonary TB when compared with values obtained in normal blood donors. The CD4/CD8 ratio was significantly lower in patients with TB. The CD4 counts normalized with antitubercular treatment. The radiologic extent of disease did not correlate well with the immune parameters studied. Conclusions: TB is a reversible cause of CD4 lymphocytopenia and is associated with normal numbers of CDS cells. The radiologic extent of disease does not seem to determine the immune response. © 2004 Wiley-Liss, Inc.