[Autoimmune changes in various rheumatic diseases]

A combined clinicoimmunologic investigation of 895 patients was conducted, of them 518 had rheumatic fever, 68 rheumatoid arthritis, 35 systemic scleroderma and 12 systemic lupus erythematosus. The immune status of the patients was evaluated by the results of the rosette-formation method, the reaction of lymphocyte blasttransformation, the reaction of leucocyte migration inhibition using purified cardial and other tissue antigens. The weakening of rosette-forming function of lymphocytes, a decrease in a mitogenic response to PHA, dysimmunoglobulinemia, imbalance in antibody production, particularly hyperproduction of cardial antibodies in rheumatic fever were observed as was marked delayed-type hypersensitivity to tissue antigens, more frequently to purified cardial antigens--to myocardial cell membranes and myosin. It indicates the involvement of the autoimmune mechanisms in the development of the disease.