CHANGES IN PERIPHERAL BLOOD LYMPHOCYTE POPULATIONS IN PATIENTS WITH ACUTE PANCREATITIS

We tested peripheral blood total lymphocyte and lymphocyte subsets in 32 consecutive acute pancreatitis patients (18 women and 14 man; age 33-80 years, median 63 years)) studied at admission, as well as, at 48h and on day 5 of hospitalization, using a flow cytometric analysis. Seventeen healthy subjects comparable for sex and age were studied as controls. On admission the percentage of total lymphocyte, CD3+ T cells and CD4+ T cells was significantly decreased in patients with acute pancreatitis as compared to controls but was significantly increased at 48h and on day 5 with respect to those on admission. Conversely, the percentage of CD8+ T cells in patients was significantly decreased compared to controls at all points of investigation. The percentage of CD56+ NK cells was increased in patients on admission, but significantly decreased on day 5 compared to those on admission and to controls, as well. The percentage of activated CD3+ CD25+T cells, CD4+CD25+ T cells and CD8+CD25+ T cells was significantly increased compared to controls at all points of investigation. We conclude that cell-mediated immunity was compromised in the early stage of acute pancreatitis, along with significant activation of T lymphocytes, especially T helpers cells.