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Updated: May 13, 2026
A Data-Driven Approach to Quantifying Immune States in Sepsis
Published on: February 7, 2025
[Changes in T cell subsets in children with sepsis, and their clinical significance]
Yuan-Hong Yuan1, Zheng-Hui Xiao, Hui Zhang
1Children's Hospital of Hunan Province, Changsha, China.
Insights
Children with sepsis exhibit reduced T cell subsets, indicating cellular immunosuppression. Lower T cell counts correlate with disease severity and poorer prognosis in pediatric sepsis cases.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric immunology
- Sepsis research
- Flow cytometry applications
Context:
- Sepsis significantly impacts pediatric immune systems.
- Understanding T cell subset dynamics is crucial for sepsis management.
- Previous research has not fully elucidated T cell subset changes in pediatric sepsis.
Purpose:
- To analyze T cell subset alterations in children with sepsis.
- To correlate these changes with disease severity and prognosis.
- To assess the clinical significance of T cell subset monitoring in pediatric sepsis.
Summary:
- This study examined T cell subsets (CD3+, CD4+, CD8+) and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio in children with general and severe sepsis compared to healthy controls.
- Lower percentages of T cells and the CD4+/CD8+ ratio, along with lower Pediatric Critical Illness Scores (PCIS), were observed in severe sepsis patients.
- Both T cell subset percentages and PCIS were significantly lower in deceased sepsis patients compared to cured patients.
Impact:
- Findings reveal significant cellular immunosuppression in pediatric sepsis, directly linked to disease severity.
- T cell subset analysis in peripheral blood is a valuable tool for assessing immune function and prognosis in pediatric sepsis.
- This research aids in developing more accurate diagnostic and prognostic markers for pediatric sepsis.
Objective:
To observe changes in T cell subsets in children with sepsis and their prognosis, and to investigate the clinical significance of these changes in the occurrence and development of sepsis.
Methods:
Fifty children with severe sepsis and 150 children with general sepsis were enrolled as subjects, and 50 age-matched healthy children were included as controls. The percentages of CD3(+), CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells in peripheral blood and CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio were measured by flow cytometry. The pediatric critical illness score (PCIS) was calculated within 24 hours of admission.
Results:
The children with severe sepsis showed significantly lower percentages of CD3(+), CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio and PCIS than the controls and children with general sepsis (P<0.01). Among the 200 cases of sepsis, the percentages of CD3(+), CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells, CD4(+)/CD8(+) ratio and PCIS were significantly lower in the cured group than in the deceased group.
Conclusions:
Children with sepsis have different degrees of cellular immunosuppression, and the degree of cellular immunosuppression is significantly correlated with the severity of the disease. Detection of T cell subsets in peripheral blood is of great significance for evaluating immune function and judging disease severity in children with sepsis.
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