| Popis: |
Aim of the study was to investigate the features of the subpopulation composition of circulating NK and NKT cells and their diagnostic value in middle-aged patients, depending on the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis of lower limb arteries. Material and methods. The study included 80 patients (44 men (55.0 %) and 36 women (45.0 %)), whose age was 49.0 (44.0; 56.0) years. All patients underwent duplex ultrasound scanning (DUS) of the arteries of the lower extremities. Lymphocyte immunophenotyping was performed on a Navios 6/2 flow cytometer (Beckman Coulter, USA) using labeled mouse monoclonal antibodies CD45-PC7.0, CD16-PE, CD11b-FITC, CD4-APC, CD8-PC5.5, CD3-ECD manufactured by Beckman Coulter, USA. Results. According to the results of the DUS of the arteries of the lower extremities, the patients were divided into two groups: the first group included 46 (57.5 %) patients with lower extremity artery atherosclerosis, the second group included 34 (42.5 %) patients without plaques in lower extremity artery. Patients of first group had significantly higher, than patients of second group, number of circulating NK cells and lower number of CD4+CD11b+ NK cells. The decrease in the CD4+CD11b+ NK cell number ≤16.5 cells/μl allowed to diagnose lower extremity artery atherosclerosis with a sensitivity of 80.0 % and a specificity of 58.8 %. According to logistic regression analysis, a decrease in the number of CD4+CD11b+ NK cells ≤16.5 cells/μl was associated with a odds ratio of lower extremity artery atherosclerosis 5.71 (95 % confidence interval (CI) 1.44-22.6; p = 0.013). Conclusion. Compared with the control group, patients with lower extremity artery atherosclerosis differed in a statistically significantly larger number of circulating NK cells and a smaller number of CD4+CD11b+ NK cells. The decrease in the number of latter ≤16.5 cells/μl allowed to diagnose lower extremity artery atherosclerosis with a sensitivity of 80.0% and a specificity of 58.8 %. |
