Objectives This study aimed to examine the change and significance of immune parameters in patients with sputum smear-positive pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) after 2 months of intensive phase anti-TB treatment. Methods The immune parameters of 232 cases of sputum smear-positive pulmonary TB were detected before and after 2 months of intensive phase anti-TB treatment and compared with 50 cases from healthy volunteers (controls). The T lymphocyte cell population in peripheral blood was detected using flow cytometry. Serum levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, soluble interleukin-2 receptor, IL-6, and tumour necrosis factor-α were measured by ELISA. Results After 2 months of intensive phase anti-TB treatment, a reduction in the percentage of CD4+ T cells showed a significant restoration similar to that of controls. Moreover, after intensive anti-TB treatment, serum levels of IL-1β, soluble interleukin-2 receptor, IL-6, and tumour necrosis factor-α were significantly decreased compared with before treatment. Additionally, serum levels of IL-1β and IL-6 showed a diminished recovery compared with controls. Conclusions Our findings suggest immunological recovery in patients with pulmonary TB after intensive phase treatment. Therefore, serum cytokine levels are considered potential host biomarkers for monitoring the response of treatment for pulmonary TB.
Keywords: CD4+ T cells; Pulmonary tuberculosis; anti-tuberculosis treatment; cytokine; interleukin; lymphocyte.