Lymphocyte subsets and serum immunoglobulins in patients with premature ovarian failure before and after oestrogen replacement

We have previously demonstrated that in patients with oestrogendeficiency, there was a significant reduction in the ratio ofCD4⁺ to CD8⁺ lymphocytes. To test our hypothesis that oestrogendeficiency was the cause of the changes in lymphocyte subsets,we have studied the lymphocyte subsets and serum immunoglobulinlevels in 35 patients with idiopathic premature ovarian failurebefore and after oestrogen replacement therapy. Before oestrogenreplacement the lymphocyte subsets in peripheral blood wereenumerated with indirect immunofluorescence techniques usingmonoclonal antibodies. The serum immunoglobulins (Ig) G, A andM were measured with nephelometry. After oestrogen replacementtherapy, the tests were repeated around day 7–11 of the2nd, 4th and 24th month. There was no significant change inany of these parameters by the 2nd or 4th months. After 2 yearsof oestrogen replacement, there was a significant decrease inthe percentage of CD8⁺ cells, a significant increase in theCD4: CD8 ratio and a significant increase in the mean serumIgG concentration. There was no significant change in the otherparameters. Our results support the hypothesis that oestrogendeficiency is the cause for the changes in the lymphocyte subsets.