Changes of T-lymphocyte subsets, immune globulin and matrix metalloproteinase in chronic heart failure patients with pulmonary infection

Objective To investigate the changes of T-lymphocyte subsets, immune globulin (Ig) and matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) in chronic heart failure patients with pulmonary infection and assess the prognosis of patients. Methods A total of 120 chronic heart failure patients in our hospital between September, 2015 and December, 2016 were divided into infection group (n=49) and non-infection group (n=71) according to the condition of pulmonary infection. The levels of white blood cell count, neutrophils percentage, percentage of lymphocytes, cardiac parameters, inflammatory factors, T-lymphocyte subsets, immune globulin and matrix metalloproteinase and prognosis were compared between the two groups. Results The levels of white blood cell count, neutrophils percentage and percentage of lymphocytes of the infection group were significantly higher than those of non-infection group (P<0.05); The levels of BNP, LVEDVI and LVESDVI of lymphocytes of the infection group were significantly higher than those of non-infection group (P<0.05); The levels of IL-6 and TNF-α of the infection group were significantly higher than those of the non-infection group (P<0.05); The level of CD4⁺ had no significant difference between the infection group and non-infection group (P>0.05), the level of CD8+ of the infection group was significantly higher than that of the non-infection group (P<0.05), and the level of CD4⁺/CD8⁺ of the infection group was significantly lower than that of the non-infection group (P<0.05); The level of Ig A had no significant difference between the infection group and non-infection group (P>0.05), and the levels of Ig G and Ig M of the infection group were significantly lower than those of the non-infection group (P<0.05); the levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 of infection group were significantly higher than those of the non-infection group (P<0.05); the length of hospital stay and mortality of the infection group was significantly higher than that of the non-infection group (P<0.05). Conclusion The chronic heart failure patients with pulmonary infection have low immunity and high level of MMP. The infection will aggravate heart function damage, and lead to a poorer prognosis of patients.