Cell-mediated immunity in uremic patients prior to and after 6 months' treatment with continuous ambulatory...

The number of circulating T-lymphocytes and their functional activity were studied in a group of 14 uremic patients prior to and after 6 to 9 months of treatment with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Low absolute T cell counts were found on initial examination in five of eight patients tested. There was no change in T cell counts after CAPD. The functional activity of T cells was tested by the local xenogeneic graft vs. host reaction (GVHR). Of the 14 patients tested with this technique, 10 initially showed impaired T cell functional activity. After CAPD a clear improvement in functional activity of the T cells was found in 4 of 10 patients with impaired GVHR. In three of these four patients, an inhibitory factor that had been present in the serum disappeared after CAPD.