Case-control Study on Immune Parameters and Clinical Significance of Hand-foot-mouth Disease

Objective To have a better understanding of the pathogenesis of Hand-foot-mouth diseases (HFMD),the immunological parameters of the children with HFMD were determined. Methods Peripheral blood samples were collected from the HFMD patients,detecting the Sub-population of the lymphocyte,levels of the serum IgG/M/A and C3,C4. Samples from normal healthy children and patients with viral encephalitis were taken as controls.Results the ratio and absolute B lymphocytes in HFMD patients was dramatically increased compared with that in the normal controls and viral encephalitis patients (P0.01).Compared with the normal controls,the ratio of both CD3 and CD4 lymphocytes was decreased in partial HFMD patients while the absolute counting of these cells was increased; the ratio of CD3/CD4 had no significant changes between the two groups. The absolute counting of CD8,CD16+CD56 cells was also increased in the HFMD patients. The percentage of CD3,CD4 lymphocytes and the absolute counting of CD4 cells was decreased and the ratio of CD3/CD4 was inversed,but the percentage and absolute counting of CD8 was increased in patients with viral encephalitis when compared with normal controls. Serum IgG and IgA and levels of C3 andC4 were markedly decreased in HFMD patients (P0.01 and P0.05,respectively),while IgM remained comparable to that of normal controls. Conclusion B lymphocyte proliferation was the predominant abnormal immunological parameter in the HFMD patients.