Elsevier

Clinica Chimica Acta

Volume 508, September 2020, Pages 110-114
Clinica Chimica Acta

Decreased T cell populations contribute to the increased severity of COVID-19

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cca.2020.05.019Get rights and content

Highlights

  • CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes were decreased in COVID-19-infected patients.

  • The populations of T cells are comparable between moderate and severe patients.

  • T cells play an important role in regulating the development of COVID-19.

Abstract

Background

We observe changes of the main lymphocyte subsets (CD16+CD56、CD19、CD3、CD4、and CD8) in COVID-19-infected patients and explore whether the changes are associated with disease severity.

Methods

One-hundred and fifty-four cases of COVID-19-infected patients were selected and divided into 3 groups (moderate group, severe group and critical group). The flow cytometry assay was performed to examine the numbers of lymphocyte subsets.

Results

CD3+, CD4+ and CD8 + T lymphocyte subsets were decreased in COVID-19-infected patients. Compared with the moderate group and the sever group, CD3+, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in the critical group decreased greatly (P < 0.001, P = 0.005 or P = 0.001).

Conclusions

Reduced CD3+, CD4+, CD8+ T lymphocyte counts may reflect the severity of the COVID-19. Monitoring T cell changes has important implications for the diagnosis and treatment of severe patients who may become critically ill.

Keywords

COVID-19
Lymphocyte subsets
CD3+ T cells
CD4+ T cells
CD8+ T cells

Cited by (0)

1

These authors contributed equally to the work.

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