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Lymphocyte subset abnormalities in multitransfused HIV‐negative haemophilia A patients are not due to chronic hepatitis C virus infection
Author(s) -
Meijer K.,
Van Der Meer J.,
Smit J. W.,
Verspiek S. P. J.,
Haagsma E. B.,
Smid W. M.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
british journal of haematology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.907
H-Index - 186
eISSN - 1365-2141
pISSN - 0007-1048
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-2141.2000.02025.x
Subject(s) - haemophilia , medicine , immunology , lymphocyte , haemophilia a , lymphocyte subsets , haemophilia b , viral disease , chronic hepatitis , immune system , hepatitis , t lymphocyte , hepatitis c , virus , hepatitis c virus , virology , t cell , pediatrics
Several abnormalities of immune parameters have been described in HIV‐negative haemophiliacs, including changes in numbers of T4 and T8 cells, T4/T8 ratio and numbers of activated T cells. To assess the contribution of hepatitis C to these abnormalities, we compared lymphocyte subsets in 20 HIV‐negative HCV‐positive haemophilia A patients and in 14 non‐haemophiliacs with chronic hepatitis C with those in 18 healthy controls. In haemophilia patients, higher numbers of T lymphocytes and activated T8 cells, lower numbers of B lymphocytes and a normal T4/T8 ratio were seen. These differences were either not demonstrated in hepatitis C controls or were less pronounced and in the opposite direction. We conclude that haemophilia A patients showed abnormalities in lymphocyte subsets that could not be attributed to chronic hepatitis C.