[The role of immune mechanisms in the pathogenesis of chronic bronchopulmonary pathology]

A clinicoimmunological investigation of 1230 patients with chronic nonspecific pulmonary diseases (CNPD) and 380 persons of the control group revealed significant variations in the immune status of patients with bronchopulmonary pathology. Changes in cellular immunity were characterized by a decrease in the number of T-lymphocytes, altered quantitative structure of lymphocyte subpopulations, a decrease in the activity of natural killer cells, leukocyte interferon producing capacity and lymphocyte function revealed by lymphocyte blast-transformation and leukocyte inhibition migration reactions. Changes in humoral immunity were characterized by imbalance of immunoglobulins. Variations in normal indices of local and nonspecific immunity were revealed. Certain relationship between clinical and immunological indices in CNDP patients indicated the presence of immunodeficiency in them confirming the importance of immune mechanisms in the development of chronic bronchopulmonary pathology.