Relation between T lymphocytes activities and the intensity of schistosoma mansoni infection

This study was done on 60 schistosome patients and 12 cross matched healthy control persons. The schistosome patients were classified on the bases of intensity of infection into: 22 patients with light infection [one to 100 eggs/gm stool], 24 patients with moderate infection [101- 400 eggs/gm stool], 14 patients with heavy infection [>400 eggs/gm stool]. All the studied cases were submitted to flow cytometric analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells using monoclonal antibodies against CD3, CD4, CD8, CD28, HLA-DR. It was found that there was a significant decrease in CD3, CD4 and the expression of costimulatory molecule CD28 on CD8 T lymphocytes, while CD8 T lymphocytes and the activation marker HLA-DR expression on CD4 T lymphocytes were increased. These changes were more obvious with the increase in intensity of infection

Non thyroidal illness syndrome in patients with congestive heart failure: a novel prognostic formula

The non thyroidal illness syndrome [NTI] refers to changes in serum thyroid hormones in the absence of primary disorders of the hypothalamus, pituitary or thyroid glands and it occurs in patients with severe nonthyroidal systemic illnesses including cardiac disorders. NTI is reported to occur in patients with severe as well as compensated heart failure and it is related adverse prognosis. Aim of the present work was to elucidate the pattern of thyroid hormone abnormalities in patients with different degrees of heart failure and its relation to the patient prognosis and clarifying if the etiology of heart disease is related to the pattern or severity of NTI. This work was carried out on 50 subjects: 40 patients with congestive heart failure and 10 healthy volunteers of matched age and sex. Patients were classified according to the etiology of heart failure into 4 classes. Hypertensive group included 9 patients with hypertensive heart failure, cardiomyopathic group 11 patients with dilated cardiomyo-pathy, rheumatic group 10 patients with rheumatic heart disease, and ischemic group including 10 cases with ischemic heart failure. Patients were classified according to NYHA into grade IV of 11 patients, grade III of 15 cases, and grade II including 14 patients. After clinical evaluation, laboratory work up was carried out including serum total T3, total T4, TSH and total cortisol together with total CPK, LDH, lipogram, serum creatinine, and liver function tests and echocardiography. serum T3, T4, and TSH were proved to be low in patients compared to control and the decrease was marked in advanced stages of heart failure compared to the less severe grades. It was also proved that the etiology of heart failure is not related to the pattern or severity of NTI in these patients. Serum cortisol was found to be insignificantly high in-patients compared to control and not related to thyroid hormone abnormalities. A novel prognostic formula was suggested to predict the prognosis of patients with congestive heart failure with certainty reaching up to 98%, This formula used the discriminancy score and it revealed 3 independent factors determining the prognosis in these patients which are CPK, total T4, and aortic root dimension. patients with congestive heart failure have thyroid hormone abnormalities in the form of low T3, T4 and low TSH. The severer the grade of heart failure the lower the hormone levels. Etiology of heart failure is not related to the pattern or seventy of NTI. A novel prognostic formula was suggested to predict prognosis of patients with heart failure with certainty reaching up to 98 96. Three parameters were proved to be independent predictors namely: CPK, T4, and aortic root dimension