[Influence of blood transfusion on cellular immunity after open heart surgery].

The effect of blood transfusion on cellular immunity was evaluated by measuring T cell subsets in 22 adult patients after open heart surgery. The patients were divided into two groups according to whether or not they received blood transfusions. There were no significant differences in pump time or aortic cross clamp time between the two groups. Leukocytosis was evident in both groups after open heart surgery, but the percentage to lymphocytes was reduced. The number of T cells were also reduced in both two groups. In the group that did not receive blood, the number of T cells were reduced the first day after surgery, but returned to preoperative levels two days later. Those that received blood transfusions had persistently low T cell counts three days after the operation. CD4 positive T cells were reduced the first day after operation but returned to preoperative levels three days after the operation in both groups. The percentage of CD8 positive T cells were unchanged in the group that didn't have a blood transfusion. CD8 positive T cells were significantly reduced three days post operatively in the group that received blood transfusions. The cellular immunity was disturbed for an extended period in the patients that received blood transfusions.