CD3 + CD4 + T cells counts reflect the severity and prognosis of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis in patients with connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease.

OBJECTIVES

Invasive pulmonary aspergillosis (IPA) is a potentially fatal complication in patients with connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD). The aim of this study is to investigate the clinical significance of CD3 + CD4 + T cells counts in CTD-ILD with IPA patients.

METHODS

This retrospective study included 152 CTD-ILD patients admitted to a single center in China between January 2018 and June 2020. A total of 54 CTD-ILD patients with IPA were assigned to the CTD-ILD with IPA group, while 98 uninfected CTD-ILD patients were assigned to the control group. Serum CD3 + CD4 + T cells counts were compared between the above-mentioned two groups, and the correlations between CD3 + CD4 + T cells counts and the clinical features, mortality of CTD-ILD with IPA were also evaluated.

RESULTS

CTD-ILD patients with IPA had significantly lower CD3 + CD4 + T cells counts than those with CTD-ILD without IPA (P < 0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of discriminating CTD-ILD with IPA from CTD-ILD without IPA was 0.800 (95% CI, 0.722-0.878, P < 0.001). Correlation analyses showed that serum CD3 + CD4 + T cells counts were positively correlated with PaO2/FiO2 ratio(r = 0.317, P = 0.034) and negatively correlated with C reactive protein (CRP) (r = - 0.358, P = 0.009), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (r = - 0.346, P = 0.014), and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) (r = - 0.306, P = 0.026). In addition, 30 decedents with CTD-ILD infected IPA exhibited lower values of CD3 + CD4 + T cells compared with 24 survivors (P = 0.041). Furthermore, CD3 + CD4 + T cells counts were a prognostic factor and also associated with a higher mortality rate (log-rank test, P = 0.003).

CONCLUSION

CD3 + CD4 + T cells counts could be a useful serum indicator associated with occurrence of IPA in CTD-ILD. Moreover, decreased CD3 + CD4 + T cells counts were associated with a poor survival of IPA in CTD-ILD patients. Key Points • CTD-ILD patients with IPA had significantly lower CD3+CD4+T cells counts than those with CTD-ILD without IPA. • Correlation analyses showed that serum CD3+CD4+T cells counts were positively correlated with PaO2/FiO2 ratio and negatively correlated with C reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH). • Decreased CD3+CD4+T cells counts were associated with a poor survival of IPA in CTD-ILD patients.