T lymphocyte subsets in chronic uremic patients treated with maintenance hemodialysis.

Abstract Blood T lymphocyte subsets have been studied using monoclonal antibodies in 10 chronic uremic patients treated with maintenance hemodialysis. Both total T lymphocytes identified by the antibody OKT3. and the helper-inducer T lymphocyte subset identified by the antibody OKT4 were found to be significantly lower than normal. The cytotoxicsuppressor T cell subset was only moderately, even if significantly reduced, so that the T4/T8 ratio in uremic patients was significantly lower than normal. These data provide an additional contribution to the interpretation of immunological and hematological deficiencies observed in chronic uremia. chronic uremia / hemodialysis / T lymphocytes