Cellular immune function in rheumatic disease.

Investigation of the cellular immune function in patients with rheumatic diseases is important in elucidating the pathogenesis of the disease processes and in determining the associated abnormalities of recognition and regulation exerted by the immune system. However, because of the lack of specificity and the variations noted from laboratory to laboratory, tests of cellular immune function are, at present, of little value in the laboratory diagnosis of these diseases. The abnormalities found in the rheumatic diseases occur with many autoimmune diseases and other inflammatory states. The common pathway of immune abnormalities appears to be influenced by several factors. They include several genetic loci, possible environmental factors, and immunologic mechanisms, which appear to interact in an intimate way to induce various autoimmune diseases.