Patients with idiopathic congestive cardiomyopathy exhibited defective in vitro suppressor cell function, failing to suppress MLR responses compared to normal and CAD controls (p<0.005).
Case-Control (n=42)
Is in vitro suppressor cell function defective in patients with idiopathic congestive cardiomyopathy compared to normal subjects and CAD patients?
Patients with idiopathic congestive cardiomyopathy exhibit defective in vitro suppressor cell function, suggesting an underlying immune system abnormality in the pathogenesis of the disease.
p-value: p=<0.005
Because abnormalities of the immune system may be involved in the pathogenesis of idiopathic congestive cardiomyopathy (ICCM), we studied suppressor cell function in patients with ICCM. Previously described in vitro techniques were modified for optimal demonstration of concanavalin A (con A)-inducible suppressor activity by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM). Baseline responses in the mixed leukocyte reaction (MLR) were similar for PBM from 16 normal subjects, eight patients with end-stage coronary artery dis- ease (CAD), and 18 patients with ICCM. In the presence of autologous, con A-treated PBM, MLR responses were significantly suppressed for normals (geometric mean disintegrations/min decreasing from 36,308 to 4677; p < 0.001) and for CAD patients (25,703 decreasing to 50l1;p < 0.001). In contrast, autologous, con A-treated PBM from patients with ICCM failed to suppress MLR responses (30,902 increasing to 44,688; p < 0.005). Similar results were observed in mitogen stimulation experiments. Con A-treated PBM from a normal subject suppressed the MLR response of PBM from an ICCM patient.
Fowles et al. (1979) conducted a case-control in Idiopathic congestive cardiomyopathy (n=42). Idiopathic congestive cardiomyopathy vs. Normal subjects and patients with end-stage coronary artery disease was evaluated on Suppression of mixed leukocyte reaction (MLR) responses by autologous, con A-treated peripheral blood mononuclear cells (p=<0.005). Patients with idiopathic congestive cardiomyopathy exhibited defective in vitro suppressor cell function, failing to suppress MLR responses compared to normal and CAD controls (p<0.005).