T lymphocytes and immunosuppression in the burned patient: a review.

Extensive thermal trauma results in impaired immune function which has been attributed to a reduction in T lymphocyte numbers, increased suppressor cell activity, serum suppressive factors and altered cytokine synthesis and receptor expression on T cells. Numeric and phenotypic changes in T lymphocytes, T cell proliferation and functional responses of T lymphocytes in recent studies using murine models and patients are described.