The relationship between CD3 and CD4 positive T lymphocytes ratio and rejection/ infection, in patients who underwent renal transplantation

Objective: Monitoring of renal transplant recipients in the developing infections and acute rejections adversely affect graft survival. Differentiation of infection and rejection after transplantation appears to be a significant problem. T cell surface markers can be elevated in the presence of infection or rejection, and can be decreased. In our study, we aimed to investigate the changes in T lymphocyte markers the infections seen after renal transplantation and rejection diagnosis and the differential diagnosis. Materials and Methods: A total of 56 patients were enrolled in follow-up after renal transplantation. Been hospitalized due to failure in renal function tests of 31 patients were divided into two groups with clinical and laboratory features of infection and rejection. As the control group who had come to the examination of infection after renal transplantation and rejection were 25 patients without rejection doubt. 10 patients in control group had transplantation from cadaveric donors. In serum samples of patients with T-lymphocyte markers, CD3, CD4, CD8 levels were studied by flowcytometrical methods. Surface markers of T lymphocytes relationship with clinical infection and rejection were investigated. Results: CD3, CD4 and CD8 cells in terms of infection and rejection were not significantly different between the two groups. The cell surface determinants were similar to the groups of infection and rejection of transplant recipients and the control group. However cadaveric donor organ transplant recipients CD3, CD4 and CD8 levels were significantly decreased compared to infection and rejection groups. Lymphocyte markers and WBC lymphocytes ratio in the first and second tracking infection and rejection group when compared to the values, were not statistically different. Conclusion: Renal transplant recipients and especially after induction therapy with ATG measured monitoring the levels of T lymphocytes may provide clinical benefits, in critical cases of infection and rejection may be suggestive. For a clearer understanding of the clinical importance of T cell subsets in patients undergoing renal transplantation and the effect to the prognosis can be measured in large patient studies will be needed.