An Immunological Study On Rheumatic Carditis

Abstract

This study was performed in the unit of rheumatic and connective ' tissue diseases in the department of internal medicine, Assiut university

hospital at the period January 1997: December 1998.

This study included 40 patients with rheumatic fever that were classified into two groups according to treatment; the first group treated with aspirin (group I) and the second group treated with corticosteroids (group II). Those patients fulfilled the Jones criteria of diagnosis ofRF. Other I 0 patients with valvular heart disease secondary to previous rheumatic activity (group III) and I 0 healthy persons as a control group (group IV) were also included in the study. The aim of the study was:

- Evaluation of

' som

e immunological changes that occurs in RF such as

the changes in T helper and T suppressor.cells blood counts and their ratio and serum level of IL-2.. - Study the effect of treatment by corticosteroids and comparing it by that

of spirin in modifying the previously mentioned immunological aspects.

The study reveald that:

- T helper lymphocytes count and serum level of IL•2 increased with disease activity while T suppressor counts decreased and hence increase the T helper/T suppressor ratio. - At follow up the ratio ofT helper/T supressor and the serum level of

IL-2 decreased to levels statistically insignificant from control.

- There were insignificant differences in the immunological parameters between patients treated with corticosteroids or those treated with aspmn.