A study of lymphocyte populations and subpopulations in hemophiliacs and their relationships with age and consumption of lyophilized factor VIII concentrates

Peripheral blood lymphocyte populations and subpopulations of 154 hemophiliacs treated with factor VIII concentrates were studied. The patients had significantly increased percentages of leukocytes and lymphocytes and also absolute numbers of the lymphocyte populations in cells/mm3. The increases in cell counts in the two major T cell subpopulations (T4 and T8) were unbalanced, leading to a significant decrease in the T4/T8 ratio. There was no correlation between the T4/T8 ratio and the consumption of factor VIII during the year prior to the study. The values of these T cell subpopulations and of the T4/T8 ratio significantly correlated with the patients’ age. There were no analytical or clinical data for any of the patients indicating AIDS.