[Cell-mediated and humoral immunity in ulcerative colitis. Acute phase reactants (author's transl)]

Many findings suggest that the alterations in immune response observed in intestinal inflammatory diseases may play a part in their pathogenesis. This observation led us to study 22 patients with chronic ulcerative colitis, of whom seven were in the acute stage and the other 15 were asymptomatic. The T and B lymphocyte populations were determined as well as the serum levels of immunoglobulins and acid alpha-1-glycoprotein as acute phase reactants. The results were compared with those obtained from a control group of 10 normal individuals. No statistically significant differences were observed in the percentages and absolute values of T and B lymphocytes as compared with the controls. nor in relation to the activity of the lesions. Neither were there any observable variations in the serum concentrations of immunoglobulins. On the other hand, analysis of the acid alpha-1-glycoprotein showed highly significant values as related to the degree of activity of the inflammatory lesion (p less than 0.005). Our results confirmed the value of determining serum acid alpha-1-glycoprotein levels as an index of inflammatory activity. The immunitary parameters under study did not vary in the different stages of the disease.