The Changes Of T Lymphocyte Subsets Levels Of Preterm Infants Of Intrauterine Growth Retardation

ObjectiveTo study the function of T lymphocyte subsets of preterm infants of intrauterine growth retardation (IUGR) by detecting the changes of T lymphocyte subsets levels in peripheral blood of IUGR preterm infants at birth and when in the adjusted38weeks of gestational age.Methods67cases of preterm infants in the30-34weeks of gestational age from the Department of Neonatology in Chenzhou No.1Hospital affiliated to Nanhua University from2011June to2012July were divided into IUGR Group (29cases) and AGA (Appropriate for gestational age) Group (38cases) according to the weight of the preterm infants between10th centile and10th-90th centile lower than the infants of same gestational age.20cases of healthy term infants of same period were as control group. With the help of the flow cytometer, T lymphocyte subsets levels in peripheral blood of preterm infants, healthy term infants within24hours after birth and preterm infants in the38weeks of gestational age were detected. Meanwhile, the absolute counting of peripheral blood leukocytes, lymphocyte and T lymphocytes at each time point was detected. The detected results of IUGR preterm infants, AGA infants and healthy term infants of each group were compared and analyzed statistically.ResultsThe difference of T lymphocyte subsets of infants within24hours after birth from the three groups had statistical significance (P<0.05) by means of one-factor ANOVA, among which the percentages of CD3+and CD4+of IUGR preterm infants were lower than that of AGA preterm infants (P<0.05) and the percentage of CD8+and CD4+/CD8+differences between the two groups had no statistical significance. The percentages of CD3+、CD4+、CD8+and CD4+/CD8+of IUGR preterm infants were much lower than that of healthy term infants (P<0.05). The percentages of CD3+、 CD4+and CD4+/CD8+ratio of AGA preterm infants were lower than that of healthy term infants (P<0.05). The difference of percentage of CD8+for both groups had no statistical significance. Comparison of absolute value of leukocyte of infants within24hours after birth of the three groups had no statistical significance (P>0.05). The absolute value of lymphocyte of IUGR preterm infants was lower than that of healthy term infants (P<0.05) and the difference between the rest two had no statistical significance. The absolute value of T lymphocyte of IUGR and AGA preterm infants was lower than that of healthy term infants (P<0.05) and the value of IUGR was lower than that of AGA (P<0.05). T lymphocyte subsets of infants of adjusted38weeks of gestational age of IUGR preterm infants were lower than that of AGA, with the percentage of CD3+and CD8+(P<0.05) but the ratio difference of the percentages of CD4+and CD4+/CD8+had no statistical significance. The absolute counting of peripheral blood leukocytes, lymphocyte and T lymphocyte of IUGR preterm infants had no statistical significance compared with that of AGA.(P>0.05) The percentages of CD3+, CD4+and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+of IUGR preterm infants of adjusted38weeks of gestational age were higher than that with24hours after birth (P<0.05) and the percentages of CD8+between each group had no statistical significance. T lymphocyte subsets of AGA preterm infants of adjusted38weeks of gestational age were higher than that of infants within24hours after birth with the percentages of CD3+, CD4+and ratio of CD4+/CD8+(P>0.05). The percentage of CD8+had no statistical significance.ConclusionsThe immune function of T lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood of IUGR preterm infants was weaker than that of AGA preterm infants and healthy term infants and would last for a while after birth.