Lymphocyte subset, lymphocyte proliferative response, and soluble interleukin-2 receptor in anorexic patients

Background: Despite a prominent malnourished state, anorexics are unexpectedly free from infection. Several studies have shown that the cell-mediated immunity of anorexics might be well preserved, but results are conflicting. Methods: Lymphocyte subsets, lymphoproliferative response to phytohemagglutinin, and soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R) were measured in 7 patients with anorexia nervosa restricting type (RAN), 6 with anorexia nervosa binge-eating/purging type (ANBP), and 8 controls (C). Results: Compared with controls, significantly elevated percentage of CD4 and CD4/CD8 ratio in ANBP was found. Although there was no significant difference in lymphoproliferative response among the three groups, sIL-2R in RAN was significantly lower than that in the C group, but not in ANBP. Conclusions: Although detail mechanism still remains to be unknown, some kinds of compensatory mechanism for cell-mediated immunity is working, especially in chronic underweight anorexic patients.