Immune deficiency in family members of patients with Hodgkin's disease

Indirect data supporting a preexisting immunologic impairment in patients with Hodgkin's disease (HD) have been presented in recent years. These immunologic defects are supposed to be related to genetic and/or environmental factors. In this study, 65 first‐degree relatives and 12 spouses of 21 consecutive patients with HD were studied immunologically. Furthermore, seven twin pairs in which one partner had HD and four additional nonmatched healthy co‐twins were also included in the study. A decreased lymphocyte DNA synthesis induced by Concanavalin A, a high spontaneous DNA synthesis, or a low CD4+/8+ ratio was found in 21 (32%) consanguineous, two (17%) nonconsanguineous relatives, and five (50%) healthy cotwins. The corresponding figures for the untreated patients with HD and the control series were 14 of 21 (65%) and 21 of 127 (16%), respectively. Total lymphocyte counts or lymphocyte subpopulations did not differ between HD relatives and controls. The increased frequency of blood lymphocyte defects among consanguineous first‐degree relatives favors the existence of a genetically determined immune deficiency in at least a proportion of apparently healthy relatives of patients with HD. However, nongenetic factors such as age and environment may add to the defect.

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