Flow Cytometric Analysis of Lymphocyte Subpopulations and Th1/Th2 Balance in Patients with Polymyositis and Dermatomyositis

Abstract

Both B and helper T cells are activated in peripheral blood of active PM. Th2 cells predominate in peripheral blood of active DM, and the intracellular IFN-gamma/IL-4 ratio in CD4+ cells may be useful as a clinical marker indicating disease activity.