[Cellular immunity in patients with non-specific inflammatory bowel disease for an extended period after surgery]

The study was aimed at investigating the expression of HLA-DR, CD4, CD8, CD56 surface antigens on peripheral blood lymphocytes in patients with non-specific inflammatory bowel diseases in the period of 1-5 years after the surgical procedure. The percentage of rosette forming T-cells in the theophylline test and skin reaction to mycotic and bacterial antigens were assessed simultaneously. The experiment included group of 12 patients (aged 5-55), treated surgically because of Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. The lymphocytes' surface antigens were examined by means of monoclonal antibodies and the APAAP procedure. Significantly increased (p < 0.001) percentage of lymphocytes with HLA-DR surface antigens and significantly decreased (p < 0.002) percentage of lymphocytes with CD8 surface antigens were observed in patients with non-specific inflammatory bowel diseases. In 6 of 12 patients the skin test results were negative. The clinical symptoms, which may suggest the maintaining inflammation of the intestinal mucosa were found in 50% of patients examined after surgical procedure because of Crohn's disease. The results suggest there are significant disturbances of cellular immunoreactivity parameters in patients with non-specific inflammatory bowel diseases. It may be one of the causes, which maintain the chronic inflammation of the intestinal mucosa and favour disease recurrence. The cellular immunoreactivity disturbances demonstrated in this study may be the result of the still persisting intestinal mucosa. Inflammation, in spite of deficiency of synonymous clinical symptoms indicating the disease recurrence.