Primary Sjögren's syndrome and B-non-Hodgkin lymphoma: role of CD4+ T lymphocytopenia.

Primary Sjögren's syndrome (PSS) is associated with increased risk of lymphoproliferative malignancy, and B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (B-NHL) is the most frequent type. To evaluate CD4+ T lymphocytes distributions in patients with (PSS) and the association of CD4+ T lymphocytopenia with the development of (B-NHL), this study included 8 (PSS) patients associated with B-NHL (group I), 50 (pSS) patients without B-NHL (group II), and 30 healthy volunteers who served as controls. The frequency of circulating CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes distributions and CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratio was assessed using flow cytometry coulter EPICS-XL and compared between patients groups and controls. There was statistically significant CD4+ T lymphocytopenia in (PSS) patients with B-NHL than those without lymphoma and controls (P = 0.001). Moreover, a significant low CD4+/CD8+ T cell ratio 0.8 in group I than group II and controls (P = 0.001) was found. Significant positive correlations of CD4+ T lymphocytopenia with other risk factors (parotid swelling, vasculitis, rheumatoid factors, low complement, cryoglobulinemia) were detected. CD4+ T lymphocytopenia is associated with B-NHL developed in patients with PSS and can be considered as an important predictor of lymphoma.