[Cellular immunity in rheumatoid arthritis. Effect of therapy]

In 89 cases of rheumatoid polyarthritis the number of B lymphocytes was shown by an immunofluorescence technique and the number T lymphocytes by a rosette test. 30 untreated polyarthritics were distinguished into two groups: in one there was no change in the number of T cellules; in the other there was a reduction in the number of T cells and lymphopenia. The same differences were found under corticotherapy (10 cases), antimalarial drugs (8 cases), penicillamine (21 cases), chrysotherapy (11 cases) and levamisole (9 cases). Levamisole only infrequently increases the number of T cellules (2/9). No relation with any developmental parameter was found in any group.