Inhibition of leucocyte migration by stimulated mononuclear cell supernatants from patients with ischaemic heart disease

Cellular immunity in congestive cardiomyopathy. The normal cellular immune response

In vivo and in vitro tests of cellular immunity were studied in patients with congestive cardiomyopathy to determine whether these patients have normal or depressed cell mediated immunity to common environmental antigens and mitogens. No abnormality was found, but this does not exclude the possibility that transient depression of cell mediated mechanisms occurs early in the illness before clinical presentation.

Cellular immunity in congestive cardiomyopathy. Hypersensitivity to cardiac antigens

The presence of type IV hypersensitivity to cardiac antigens in 26 patients with congestive cardiomyopathy was sought by two in vitro techniques. Neither test showed a significant group abnormality, but 10 patients did have hypersensitivity to heart antigen, in particular to congestive cardiomyopathic heart antigen. These patients were characterised by worse haemodynamic data and a more rapid and malignant course of the disease than in the rest of the group.