Immune recovery of lymphocyte subsets 6 years after autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) for lymphoproliferative diseases. A comparison between NHL, HD and MM in group of 149 patients.

To evaluate the normalization of lymphocyte subsets several years after autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (aPBSCT) and to detect any differences based on the underlying lymphoproliferative diseases, we analyzed the immunological recovery of 149 patients with Non Hodgkin's Lymphoma (NHL), Hodgkin's Disease (HD), Multiple Myeloma (MM). Lymphocyte recovery was assessed before the transplant, on days 15, 30, 60, 90, 120 and on years 1, 2, 4, 6. Analysis of a total of 709 lymphocytes, including total lymphocyte count, CD3+, CD4+, CD8+, CD4+/CD8+ ratio, CD19+, CD3+ HLA-DR+, CD16+56+, was performed. The normalization of total lymphocyte counts was achieved between days 14 to 22 following PBSCT. CD3+ cells count showed a normalization after 2 years in the HD and NHL groups and after 4 years in MM group. CD4+ subset achieved normalization during the sixth year in the 3 groups. The CD8+ and CD19+ lymphocytes subsets achieved normal values in the 3 groups at day 60 and at day 120 respectively. CD16+56+ and CD3+/HLA-DR+ lymphocytes showed median values above the normal range starting from day 30. Immunological recovery was similar in all 3 groups. Moreover, the recovery of all subsets evaluated was similarly demonstrated within 6 years after aPBSCT.