[Subpopulations of CD4 and CD8 lymphocytes in peripheral blood of patients with non-toxic thyroid nodular goitre].

The aim of the research was to establish the role, which is played by the immune system is in the pathogenesis of non-toxic thyroid nodular goitre. For this purpose the expression of phenotypic markers of T-helper (CD4) and T-suppressor/cytotoxic (CD8) lymphocytes was estimated. The study was performed on 27 patients with histopathologically confirmed non-toxic thyroid nodular goitre. The control group consisted of 28 healthy blood donors. In patients with thyroid goitre the percentage of lymphocytes was significantly higher than in the control group (p < or = 0.0001). Likewise the percentage of T-helper (CD4) and T-suppressor/cytotoxic (CD8) lymphocytes as well as the CD4/CD8 ratio was significantly higher in patients with thyroid goitre. The results of this study show that the immune system has important role in pathogenesis and development of non-toxic thyroid nodular goitre.