Peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations in schoolchildren born very preterm
A S Pelkonena, H Suomalainena, M Hallmanb, M Turpeinena
a Department of
Allergic Diseases Helsinki University Central
Hospital Meilahdentie 2 POB 160 00029 Huch
Finland, b Department of
Paediatrics University of Oulu
Oulu Finland
Correspondence to: Dr A S Pelkonen.
Accepted 15 May 1999
AIM
To investigate
whether lymphocytes or serum inflammatory markers are associated with
obstructive lung disease and bronchial lability in schoolchildren born
very preterm.
METHODLymphocyte
subsets were studied in the peripheral venous blood of 29 such children
(median age 8.8 years). Serum eosinophil cationic protein (ECP) and
myeloperoxidase (MPO) concentrations and the association between them,
lymphocyte subsets, and lung function were studied. Fourteen healthy
children born at term, median age 9.1 years, served as controls. T
lymphocytes (CD3), T lymphocyte subpopulations (CD4 and CD8), B
lymphocytes (CD19), natural killer cells (CD16+56) and activation
markers of T and B lymphocytes (CD23 and CD25) were determined using
flow cytometry. Lung function was measured in all children both in the
clinic and at home (Vitalograph Data Storage Spirometer).
RESULTSCompared with the controls,
schoolchildren born very preterm had significantly lower
CD4+ T cell percentages and CD4:CD8 ratios (p < 0.05 for
both), whereas natural killer cell percentages and serum ECP values
were significantly higher (p < 0.05). The very preterm schoolchildren
had significantly lower spirometric values than the control group (p < 0.05)except forced vital capacity. When all the subjects were
considered together, a weak, but significant, negative association was
observed between the bronchial responsiveness in peak expiratory flow,
after a 
2 agonist during home monitoring, and the
CD4+ T cell percentage (r = 
0.45; p = 0.008) and the
CD4:CD8 ratio (r = -0.50; p = 0.003), indicating a relation between
bronchial lability and imbalance of T cell subpopulations.
CONCLUSIONSThese
results suggest that there is an inflammatory basis for lung function
abnormalities in schoolchildren born very preterm.
Keywords: very preterm; schoolchildren; T and B lymphocytes; bronchial lability
© 1999 by Archives of Disease in Childhood
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