Immune status in bronchopulmonary dysplasia

Aim. To study cell-mediated and humoral immunity in bronchopulmonary dysplasia in children.

Methods. The inpatient and outpatient medical records of 103 children from the 1st day of life up to 3 years of age: 58 boys and 45 girls, were analyzed. T-lymphocytes helper and suppressor activity markers, the immunoregulatory index, B-lymphocytes markers, concentration of the three main immunoglobulins classes, pro- and anti-inflammatory interleukins, circulating immune complexes were determined.

Results.. The helper activity in exacerbation phase was at the lower limit of normal (42.1±0.9) and significantly increased in remission phase (52.6±0.8), without exceeding the reference values. CD8 lymphocytes percentage in the blood remained within the reference ranges both in exacerbation of inflammation and in remission phase. Immunoregulatory index was above normal both in the exacerbation and in the remission phases, reducing in remission phase. Pro-inflammatory interleukin-4 concentration in the exacerbation period exceeded reference values by 1.5 times and amounted to 21.0±0.6 pg/ml. In the remission phase its normalization (11.1±0.4 pg/ml) appeared. Interleukin-8 and interferon-γ levels in the exacerbation stage were significantly higher than normal and amounted to 70.3±1.2 and 15.1±0.4 pg/ml, respectively. The tumor necrosis factor concentration was at the upper limit of normal (19.54±0.29 pg/ml). The humoral immune response was characterized by a slight decrease in the immunoglobulin A level, some increase in immunoglobulin G and a significant increase in the circulating immune complexes concentration (109.5±6.6 units) in the exacerbation phase.

Conclusion. Pronounced immunosuppression is uncharacteristic for bronchopulmonary dysplasia; identified changes are an adequate immune response to viral and bacterial infection in the acute phase of disease.