| ORIGINAL ARTICLE |
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| Year : 2018 | Volume
: 43
| Issue : 2 | Page : 85-87 |
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Correlation between splenic size and CD4+ T lymphocytes in sickle cell anaemia patients in a Tertiary Hospital
Omotola T Ojo1, Ajayi A Ibijola2, Wuraola A Shokunbi3, Olusogo E Busari3, Philip O Olatunji1, Arinola Ganiyu4
1 Department of Haematology and Blood Transfusion, Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu, Nigeria
2 Department of Haematology, Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido Ekiti, Nigeria
3 Department of Haematology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
4 Department of Chemical Pathology, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria
Correspondence Address:
Omotola T Ojo
Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Hospital Road, Sagamu, Ogun State, 121101
Nigeria
 Source of Support: None, Conflict of Interest: None  | Check |
DOI: 10.4103/ejh.ejh_15_17
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Background Impaired leucocyte function, loss of both humoral and cell-mediated immunity and splenic dysfunction are partly responsible for increased susceptibility to infection in patients with sickle cell anaemia (SCA) with resultant increased morbidity and mortality.
Objective This study was carried out to determine the correlation between splenic size and CD4 T lymphocytes, which are two of the parameters highly involved in immunological status of an individual, among patients with SCA.
Materials and methods A comparative cross-sectional study of 40 SCA patients in steady state and 40 age-matched and sex-matched healthy Haemoglobin A controls was carried out. The blood samples were analysed for CD4+ T lymphocytes by flow cytometry, whereas spleen size was determined by ultrasonography. Data were analysed using statistical package for the social sciences version 17, and level of significance was put at P less than 0.05.
Result There was a negative correlation (r=−0.150) between CD4− T lymphocyte count and splenic size in sickle cell haemoglobin; however, the relationship is weak, and also not statistically significant (P=0.36).
Conclusion The importance of the spleen in immunity has been widely proven with consequent increased susceptibility to infection following the absence of spleen or splenic dysfunction. This study shows that CD4 T lymphocyte count may not be of prognostic value in the course of the disease. However, functionality of CD4 T lymphocytes vis-à-vis cytokine expression in relation to spleen size and function should be studied in patients with SCA.
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