ASSOCIATION OF INTERSTITIAL PNEUMONIA AND DIMINISHED IN VITRO LYMPHOCYTE BLASTOGENESIS IN HUMAN MARROW GRAFT RECIPIENTS

Abstract

The lymphocyte responses of 51 human marrow graft recipients were tested in vitro 18 to 45 days after marrow grafting by stimulation with lymphocytes from unrelated individuals or phytohemagglutinin (PHA). Fourteen of the 51 patients subsequently developed interstitial pneumonia (IP). The relative responses of the lymphocytes of patients who developed IP were significantly lower than those of individuals not developing IP (P < 0.01 for allogeneic cells, P = 0.02 for PHA). These nonspecific in vitro tests of cell-mediated immunity are of value in identifying patients at risk of developing IP.