RESUMO
The behaviour of lymphocytes found in peripheral blood was studied in 59 SLE patients grouped according to therapeutic regimen (cortisone (CE), CE and antimalarial drugs (CE + AM), and no therapy). Monoclonal antibodies OKT3, OKT4, OKT8, anti-class II HLA, sheep erytrocyte rosette (ER), and rosette formed by zymosan particles treated with complement (ZC) were used to identify lymphocytes from SLE patients and 94 healthy subjects. The profile of the lymphocyte subpopulations of treated or untreated patients with active and inactive SLE showed reduced values, as compared to those of the healthy population; significant variation was observed in patients with active SLE treated with CE, compared to patients who received CE + AM. We noticed a good correlation index between the lymphocytes values for OKT3 and ER, as well as between ZC and anti-class HLA. A direct correlation between the profile subpopulations and different clincial manifestations was not evident, which limits the suitability of these tests in the routine diagnostic practice