Autoantibodies in aged individuals

Authors determined in 282 individuals autoantibodies in 132 T and B lymphozytes. Theirs results were as follows: 1. The frequency of the presence of autoantibodies increases with age. 2. In the presence of autoantibodies the absolute T and B lymphocyte counts of aged persons markedly decrease; the absolute T and B lymphozyte counts of young adult people do not change by existing autoantibodies. 3. There is a significant difference between the absolute T cell counts of aged and young adult age groups, both age-groups having autoantibodies. 4. Comparing the frequency of occurence of autoantibodies in aged healthy persons and in aged ones with cardiovascular changes and being in the habit of smoking and consuming alcohole, respectively, a significant difference could be demonstrated; in the latter group the frequency was much higher.