Lymphocyte-platelet adhesion in patients with chronic suppurative otitis media
Abstract
The study objective was to analyze changes of lymphocyte-platelet adhesion (LPA) activity in patients with chronic suppurative otitis media before and on days 2 and 10 of treatment. Materials and methods. The study included 299 patients with chronic suppurative otitis media; 146 patients had the tubotympanal form (mesotympanitis) and 153 patients had the epitimpano-antral form (epitimpanitis) of disease. Lymphocytes and platelets were isolated from whole blood using gradient centrifugation to determine LPA parameters using the method of Yu.A. Vitkowskiy. Counts of lymphocyte-platelet aggregates (LPAg) and platelets adhered to the surface were expressed per lymphocyte (lymphocyte-platelet index, LPI). Lymphocyte subpopulations (CD4+, CD8+, CD16+, CD22+) were identified in blood and platelet aggregates using monoclonal antibodies. Blood serum concentrations of cytokines IL-1β and IL-10 were measured by ELISA. Statistical analysis was performed with Student’s t-test at the significance level of 0.05. Results. In patients with different forms of chronic suppurative otitis media, the pretreatment lymphocyte count, content of their subpopulations (CD4+, CD16+, CD22+), and blood level of LPAg were decreased. At the same time, LPIs changed in different directions; LPI values were decreased in mesotympanitis and increased in epitympanitis. In patients with mesotympanitis on day 2 of treatment, the amount of LPAg (%) and LPI increased al most two fold compared to baseline values while counts of CD4+ T-lymphocyte and CD16+ NK cells were decreased even more. In patients with epitympanitis, the relative amount of LPAg (%) was increased by 59.7% and LPI was decreased by 9.2%, respectively. In patients with chronic suppurative otitis media after 10 days of treatment, LPA indexes tended to normalize. Conclusion. In chronic suppurative otitis media, the capability of lymphocyte surface for platelet adhesion was reduced. Changes in LPA during the treatment indicated regression of the inflammatory process and evidenced the effectiveness of therapy.
