[Cellular immunity in chronic polyarthritis: the effect of basic therapy on T-lymphocyte subpopulations]

Monoclonal antibodies were used to determinee the various T-lymphocyte subpopulations in 51 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The findings were compared with an age-matched healthy control population. Patients with active rheumatoid arthritis display a significant decrease in suppressor T lymphocyte subsets as compared with RA-patients with inactive disease. The calculated immunological ratio (helper-suppressor ratio) is accordingly higher than in the inactive disease state or in normals. Remission-aimed therapy with slow-acting agents such as gold salts. D-penicillamin, levamisole or azathioprine induces not only a clinical improvement but also normalization of the immunological ratio. These findings support the hypothesis that immunological imbalance may play a crucial role in the development and perpetuation of rheumatoid arthritis.