Immunological reactivity in psoriatic arthritis.

Immunologic reactivity of patients with psoriatic arthritis and the influence of the activity of psoriatic arthritis on immunologic reactivity were analysed. The group of psoriatic arthritis patients, aged 17 to 65 years, consisted of 36 males and 13 females with confirmed diagnosis. 51 age and sex-matched volunteers served as the control group (32 males and 19 females aged 21 to 62 years). The following parameters of immunologic reactivity were analysed: number of leucocytes, percentage of the lymphocytes in peripheral blood, number and percentage of T lymphocytes with positive CD3, CD4 and CD8, number and percentage of B lymphocytes, number and percentage of B lymphocytes with surface IgG, IgA and IgM, number and percentage of large granular lymphocytes (LGL), lymphocytic transformation by phytohaemagglutinin and phagocytic index. The authors found statistically significant reduction of the number and percentage of CD4 T lymphocytes, number and percentage of B lymphocytes with surface IgG as well as significantly decreased lymphocyte transformation and phagocytic activity of peripheral granulocytes in patients with psoriatic arthritis in comparison to control group.