Study of serial lymphocyte subsets in multiple sclerosis: their possible role in the evaluation of disease progression.

We followed-up 30 patients with definite multiple sclerosis (MS) for one year recording monthly: clinical evolution, neurological examination and T-lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood recognized by monoclonal antibodies. Although clinical relapses could not be strictly associated with lymphocyte abnormalities in all cases, the parallel clinical-immunological survey permitted to correlate significantly the type of clinical course (chronic-progressive, relapsing, stable) with a correspondent immunological pattern (steadily high, transiently high, steadily normal CD4/CD8 ratios respectively). Our results suggest a possible role of serial lymphocyte subsets analysis in defining evolution of MS.