[Cell-mediated immune reactivity in skin tests in chronic liver diseases]

For the judgment of cell-mediated immune reactivity in patients with chronic liver diseases in comparison to healthy test persons tests of the skin were performed by means of the neoantigen DNCB and the recall antigens tuberculin and streptokinase. Depending on the degree of severity of the hepatopathies the intensity of reaction decreased in the DNCB-test. There were no relations to the etiopathogenetic factors of the liver diseases. The results speak for the fact that the disturbed immune reactivity to DNCB is to be regarded as sequela of the disease. The anamnestic immune response controlled by means of the two recall antigens did not show any quantifiable differences to the reference collective in the chronic hepatopathies. It is concluded that the findings of skin tests are not able to contribute to the indication for immunosuppressive or immune modulating therapeutic methods.