Lymphocyte populations in patients with myasthenia gravis. Influence of thymectomy and immunosuppressive drugs.

The T/B peripheral blood lymphocyte ratio was evaluated in 51 patients with myasthenia gravis by means of the rosette test and HTLA. Total T cells and T gamma and Tmu were decreased while B lymphocytes were increased. E-active rosettes were also above the normal range. The previous thymectomy and/or immunosuppressive treatment restored the T lymphocytes identified by HTLA to normal range while those identified by E rosettes were still reduced. This difference may be due to the different stages of T lymphocyte maturation.