Some patients with Polymyalgia Rheumatica or Giant Cell Arteritis have low CD8.
Both of these inflammatory diseases respond to corticosteroid drugs.
In this
study, They found that
Compared with controls, patients with active disease had a significantly lower percentage of CD8 cells and significantly increased sIL-2R levels.
Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C reactive protein, and sIL-2R values were significantly less after six months of steroid treatment compared with before treatment.
The percentage of CD8 cells remained significantly lower at six months and the end of follow up compared with controls, while sIL-2R levels remained significantly greater.
Patients in whom the percentage of CD8 cells at six months was lower than one SD of the mean of normal controls (26%) had a significantly longer duration of corticosteroid treatment, a greater cumulative dose of prednisone and more relapses or recurrences compared with patients in whom the percentage was in the normal range.
The duration of treatment and the cumulative dose of prednisone were not influenced by the percentage of CD8 cells before treatment therapy or by the levels of sIL-2R after six months of treatment.
CONCLUSIONS--
A reduced percentage of CD8 cells after six months of treatment may be a useful outcome parameter which would identify a group of PMR/GCA patients likely to experience more severe disease, defined as longer duration of corticosteroid treatment, higher cumulative dose of prednisone, and relapse or recurrence of disease.