Significance of the changes in the circulating lymphoid cells in Hodgkin's disease

The lymphoid cell population in the peripheral blood in Hodgkin's disease differs from normal blood in three ways. Firstly, the number of large lymphoid cells actively synthesizing deoxyribonucleic acid is increased; secondly, the number of medium-sized lymphoid cells with intensely basophilic cytoplasm is increased; and, thirdly, occasional plasma cells are seen. These changes are related to the activity but not to the stage of the disease.Similar changes are found under conditions of known antigenic challenge-that is, in infections, and after immunization, and in rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus.