Peripheral blood T lymphocyte subsets in active rheumatoid arthritis--effects of different therapies on previously untreated patients.

Peripheral blood T lymphocyte subset levels were prospectively analyzed in previously untreated patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with different drug regimens. Before treatment the patient group had reduced numbers of Leu 2a+ lymphocytes compared with controls (p less than 0.001). During penicillamine and chloroquine treatment a marked reduction in absolute numbers of Leu 3a+ lymphocytes was seen (p less than 0.01), whereas treatment with nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs was characterized by increased absolute numbers of Leu 2a+ lymphocytes (p less than 0.02). Thus, there seems to be a predictable variation of T lymphocyte subsets in RA with certain drug regimens.