[Immunocorrection in rheumatoid arthritis].

The clinical and immunological parameters were compared over time in 125 patients with rheumatoid arthritis subjected to immunocorrection. As a result of the study the drugs and their combinations used are distributed in the following order as regards their efficacy: combined treatment with prospidin and tactivin; prospidin; immunoglobulin therapy with high doses; combined therapy with thymohexin and immunoglobulin (low doses); thymohexin; prodigiosan; immunoglobulin (low doses). The dynamics of cellular immunity did not always correlate with the clinical efficacy of the immunocorrection. No relationship was discovered between the functional activity of natural killers and peripheral macrophages and the dynamics of the clinico-laboratory characteristics. Stimulation of endogenous and con A-induced suppression provided a therapeutic effect only in cases of the induction of both suppression types whereas the combined use of prospidin and tactivin allowed the reduction of the intensity and rate of side effects and maintained functions of peripheral macrophages. Immunocorrection which enabled the decrease of the level of lymphocytes expressing HLA-DR antigens in blood turned out most effective.