Immunological evidence in idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy

ABSTRACT

Immunological factors in the pathogenesis of idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy [IDC] were suggested previously on the basis of the demonstration of mononuclear cell infiltrates and autoantibodies against the myocardium. Was to determine the changes in the percentage of T cell subsets in peripheral blood in order to investigate the role of cellular immunoregulation in patients with idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. The surface markers of peripheral T and B lymphocytes were detected and percentages of helper [CD4+] and suppressor [CD8+] T lymphocytes subsets in the peripheral blood and their ratio. [CD4+/CD8+] were determined in 62 patients with IDC and in 50 healthy controls. There were no significant differences between IDC and control groups with respect to CD4+T cell subsets [p=0.4]. CD8+T cell percentage was significantly decreased in patients with IDC than in controls [p=0.005]. CD4+/CD8+ratio was markedly higher in patients with IDC than controls [p=0.005]. Decreased CD8+T cell subset is the cause of increased CD4+/CD8+ratio, which may imply decreased self-tolerance and an immunoregulatory defect in the pathogenesis of IDC