Circulating activated (DR-positive) T lymphocytes in a patient with autoeczematization.

A patient with classical hypostatic dermatitis-related autoeczematization was found to have an elevated ratio of helper to suppressor T lymphocytes and increased circulating activated T cells in the absence of detectable levels of circulating interferon. Despite the high levels of activated T cells, peripheral blood mononuclear leukocytes did not produce interferon spontaneously in culture. These findings suggest that autoeczematization is a form of cell-mediated autoimmunity and that activated T cells and interferon production may be unrelated in vivo.