Objective To explore the changes of immune indices in those children with severe hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) infected by enterovirus 71 (EV71), and to analyze their clinical significance. Methods 170 cases of EV71-infected children with HFMD, ever treated in our hospital from May 2013 to May 2016, were selected and divided into the moderate group of 80 cases and the severe group of 90 cases, according to the severity of illness. Other 70 healthy children from their peers underwent physical examinations in our hospital were enrolled simultaneously as the control group. Then the results of immune indices of cellular immunity (groups of immune-phenotype and levels of inflammatory factors) and humoral immunity (levels of immunoglobulins and complements) among the 3 groups were compared and analyzed. Results The percent of CD3+ T cells, CD3+CD4+ T cells and CD3+CD8+ T cells of children in the severe group were (59.41±6.08)%, (17.44±4.20)%, and (26.25±4.58)%, respectively, which were significantly lower than those results of children in the moderate group[(66.33±7.52)%, (20.01±3.86)%, (39.66±4.93)%] and the control group[(73.58±7.94)%, (23.75±3.11)%, (51.32±5.07)%] (all P<0.05). But the percent of CD19+ B cells of children in the severe group[(19.24±8.05)%] was significantly higher than those results of children in the moderate group[(14.68±6.71)%] and the control group[(12.03±5.22)%], with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). There had no significant difference in the percent of CD4+/CD8+ NK cells and CD16+CD56+ NK cells of children among the 3 groups (P>0.05). The expression levels of IL-6, IL-10 and TNF-α of children in the severe group were, respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the moderate group and the control group(all P<0.05), and the levels of immunoglobulins and complements in the severe group were also significantly higher than those in the other 2 groups, with statistically significant differences (P<0.05). Conclusion There is obvious dysfunction of cellular immunity and humoral immunity in the EV71-infected children with severe HFMD, and immunotherapy should be administered at the right moment according to the specific conditions of HFMD children. |