Opportunistic infection in systemic lupus erythematosus patients:the disease spectrum and the characteristics of peripheral lymphocyte subsets / 中华内科杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To investigate the common opportunistic infections and the characteristics of peripheral lymphocyte subsets in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods From December 2013 to December 2016, peripheral lymphocyte subsets were consecutively detected by flow cytometry in treated SLE patients with or without opportunistic infections(OIs).The lymphocyte subsets in healthy donors were used as normal control group. Results A total of 145 treated SLE patients were enrolled including 108 with OIs and 37 without OIs.The common OIs were cytomegalovirus(CMV)diseases (66/108), Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP, 16/108), other fungal infections (16/108), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV, 15/108) and tuberculosis (14/108). Compared with treated SLE without OIs, total lymphocyte, CD4+T,and CD8+T lymphocyte counts were significantly reduced in SLE with OIs[1 260(780,1 810)cells/μl vs. 565(399,1 043)cells/μl,P<0.001; 485(280,811)cells/μl vs. 173(95,327)cells/μl,P<0.001; 464 (339,764)cells/μl vs.265(158,424)cells/μl,P=0.003,respectively].Conclusions The common OIs in treated SLE patients were CMV diseases,PJP,other fungi,EBV and tuberculosis.OIs are prone to develop in SLE patients with severe lymphocytopenia,especially CD4+T cell depletion.