Edgren J, Klockars M, Weber T, Wangel A, Linström B, Stenstrand K, Pettersson T, Riska H, Kajander A, Wegelius O
Scand J Rheumatol. 1976;5(2):108-12. doi: 10.3109/03009747609099900.
Thoracic duct drainage and re-infusion of the irradiated lymph was carried out as immunosuppressive treatment in 2 patients with progressive, therapy-resistant rheumatoid arthritis. In both patients, a marked clinical improvement was achieved even during the first days of treatment. A reduced number of T cells in the blood was seen 3 days after onset of drainage, whereas no significant change in the number of B cells was observed. No recirculation of the infused cells could be detected, nor was the radiation removal of T cells accompanied by rapid proliferation of "new" T cells. As clinical improvement and reduction in T cells occurred simultaneously, there is probably a connection between these two events. The beneficial clinical response and the achievement of T cell suppression by thoracic duct drainage--the result of irradiation and re-infusion of irradiated lymph--encourage further clinical trials with this type of treatment in severe therapy-resistant rheumatoid arthritis.
对2例进行性、治疗抵抗性类风湿关节炎患者实施了胸导管引流及照射过的淋巴再输注作为免疫抑制治疗。在两名患者中，甚至在治疗的头几天就取得了显著的临床改善。引流开始3天后，血液中的T细胞数量减少，而B细胞数量未观察到明显变化。未检测到输注细胞的再循环，T细胞的辐射清除也未伴随“新”T细胞的快速增殖。由于临床改善和T细胞减少同时发生，这两个事件之间可能存在关联。胸导管引流带来的有益临床反应以及T细胞抑制的实现——照射过的淋巴照射及再输注的结果——鼓励在严重治疗抵抗性类风湿关节炎中对这种治疗方法进行进一步的临床试验。
