[T-lymphocyte subpopulations in chronic pancreatitis].

A possibility to diminish the number of recurrences in chronic pancreatitis by using delagil (chloroquine) was shown during investigation of the status of cell-mediated immunity in chronic pancreatitis. The paper is concerned with the results of the determination of the ratio of theophylline-resistant T-cells (helpers) to theophylline-sensitive T-cells (suppressors) in the peripheral blood. The H/S ratio was determined in 49 patients with different patterns of chronic pancreatitis and in 20 controls. Enhanced (greater than or equal to 5) and low (less than or equal to 1.5) indices were characteristics of an unfavorable course of the disease. The H/S ratio is recommended for clinical use in pancreatology for prognostic purposes and to define the need of immune modifying therapy.