Early stage impacts of tonsillectomy on immune functions of children

• Published in: International journal of pediatric otorhinolaryngology Vol. 67; no. 12; pp. 1311 - 1315
• Main Authors: Kaygusuz, İrfan, Gödekmerdan, Ahmet, Karlidaǧ, Turgut, Keleş, Erol, Yalçin, Şinasi, Aral, İbrahim, Yildiz, Mücahit
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.12.2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Antibody Formation; Antigens, CD19 - blood; B-Lymphocytes - immunology; Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; CD3 Complex - blood; CD4 Antigens - immunology; CD56 Antigen - blood; CD8 Antigens - blood; Cellular immunity; Child; Child, Preschool; Chronic Disease; Complement C3 - analysis; Complement C4 - analysis; Female; Head and neck surgery. Maxillofacial surgery. Dental surgery. Orthodontics; Humans; Humoral immunity; Immunity, Cellular; Immunoglobulin; Immunoglobulin A - blood; Immunoglobulin G - blood; Immunoglobulin M - blood; Male; Medical sciences; Non tumoral diseases; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology; Receptors, IgG - blood; Receptors, Interleukin-2 - blood; Surgery (general aspects). Transplantations, organ and tissue grafts. Graft diseases; Surgery of the upper aerodigestive tract; T-Lymphocytes, Cytotoxic - immunology; Tonsillectomy; Tonsillectomy - methods; Tonsillitis - immunology; Tonsillitis - surgery; Upper respiratory tract, upper alimentary tract, paranasal sinuses, salivary glands: diseases, semeiology; Immunoglobulin; Cellular immunity; Tonsillectomy; Humoral immunity; Human; Amygdala; Tonsillitis; Chronic; Treatment; Surgery; ENT disease; Influence; Early; Pharynx disease; Biological effect; Child; Hypertrophy; Immune system
• ISSN: 0165-5876; 1872-8464
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2003.07.017

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes in the humoral and cellular immunity of patients with chronic tonsillitis before and 1 month after tonsillectomy. Patients and methods: 37 patients scheduled for tonsillectomy were enrolled in this study. The levels of CD3 +, CD4 +, CD8 +, CD19 +, CD25 + and CD16 ++56 + were measured for cellular immunity, and levels of IgG, IgA, IgM, C3 and C4 were measured for humoral immunity in blood samples taken from these patients before and 1 month after the operation. Results: The levels of CD3 +, CD8 + and CD19 + were reduced in post-operative period as compared to pre-operative period but this was not statistically significant ( P>0.05). However it was found that the level of CD4 + was significantly increased while the level of CD25 + was reduced ( P<0.05) in the post-operative period. There were statistically significant differences between pre- and post-operative levels of immunoglobulins, C3 and C4, which were decreased after tonsillectomy ( P<0.05), but these levels were comparable with those of the control group. Conclusion: The results from the present study indicate that humoral and cellular immunity of patients undergoing tonsillectomy were decreased in the early period and came to normal later. The cellular and humoral immune responses are stimulated in patients with tonsillitis, and tonsillectomy removes this stimulus without negatively affecting the patient’s immune functions.