Immunological change of peripheral-blood lymphocytes in infants with neonatal septicemia

Objective To analyze the change of peripheral-blood lymphocyte in infants with neonatal septicemia and explore the role of peripheral-blood lymphocyte in the progression of neonatal septicemia in infants. Methods This was a retrospective case-control study conducted from June 2015 to September 2017. One hundred and thirty-two infants with neonatal septicemia were enrolled into this study, and 46 normal infants for a control group. Peripheral blood was drawn for the analysis of lymphocytes and complements and the data were statistically analyzed and compared between these groups. Results The CD4+ T lymphocytes and NK cells in the infants with neonatal septicemia significantly decreased. The decrease of CD4+ T lymphocytes and NK cells in the infants with early-onset septicemia, compared with that in the infants with late-onset septicemia, was more significant. Compared with those in the infants with early-onset septicemia and the control group, the depletion of C3 in the infants with late-onset septicemia was more significant. Conclusions CD4+ T lymphocytes, NK cells,complement C3 significantly decrease in infants with neonatal septicemia. Key words: Neonatal septicemia; Immunosuppression; CD4+ T lymphocytes; Complement C4