[The specific features of immunity and immunological responsiveness in elderly and senile patients with tuberculous pleurisy].

The paper gives the results of immunological and clinical studies made in 162 elderly and senile patients with tuberculous exudative pleurisy and a control group of 162 tuberculous pleurisy aged 20-40 years. The elderly and senile patients were found to have more significant immunological responsiveness impairments, suppressed T-cell immunity, and inhibited pleural granulomatous reactions than in the young patients. These alterations substantially worsen the course and outcome of the disease and require im munological correction.