Hafez M, el-Shannawy F, el-Salab S, el-Morsi Z, el-Ziny M, Al-Tonbary Y, Abdalla A, Abou-el-Enein A
Department of Paediatrics, Faculty of Medicine, Mansoura University, Egypt.
Br J Rheumatol. 1988 Jun;27(3):181-6. doi: 10.1093/rheumatology/27.3.181.
The study included three groups of children: (a) 38 with active rheumatic fever (ARF) and active carditis; 21 seen during their first attack and 17 during recurrence of activity, (b) 47 with inactive rheumatic fever (IARF); the period since activity was less than 3 years in 31 cases and more than 3 years in 16 cases. Using monoclonal antibodies and T lymphocyte blast transformation induced by PHA, we found: (1) low total T lymphocytes, helper-inducer cells and helper-inducer/suppressor-cytotoxic ratio which persisted for years; and (2) reduced lymphoblast transformation in active disease.
