Alteration in cell-mediated immunity in patients with chronic active hepatitis. I. Lymphocyte subpopulations.

Absolute number of T and B lymphocytes were measured in the peripheral blood of 25 patients with biopsy proven HBsAg-positive Chronic Active Hepatitis (CAH), in 9 with Chronic Persistent Hepatitis (CPH), and in 25 HBsAg-negative healthy controls. In patients with CAH and cirrhosis total T lymphocytes were decreased; no difference were found between patients with CPH and normal controls. This data emphasize the importance of monitoring T-cells population in patients with HBsAg-positive CAH.