No abstract

SummaryFor many years, tonsillectomy has been used routinely in children to treat chronic or recurrent acute tonsillitis. Palatine tonsils are secondary lymphoid organs and the major barrier protecting the digestive and respiratory tracts from potential invasive microorganisms. They have been used as sources of lymphoid tissue; however, despite the hundreds of papers published on tonsillectomy, no studies addressing the functionality of the CD4 + and CD8 + T cells from chronically infected tonsils have yet been published. The aim of this study was to analyse the functionality of the CD4 + and CD8 + T cells with respect to tonsillar tissue. We used an affordable approach to measure the frequency of antigen-specific CD4 + T cells, the direct ex-vivo cytotoxicity of CD8 + T cells, memory T cell phenotype, cytokine profile and DC phenotype. Our results demonstrate that CD4+ and CD8 + T cells from tonsillar tissue are totally functional, as shown by their ability to produce cytokines, to degranulate and to differentiate into effector-memory T cells.

Introduction:Information concerning the frequency of anxiety and depression symptoms in patients with sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is controversial. Hence, the objectives of this study were to: determine the frequency of anxiety and depression symptoms in patients with SDB; explore whether the frequency of anxiety and depression symptoms rises with increasing parameters of SDB severity; and investigate the factors potentially associated with anxiety and depression.Materials and Methodology:Data was collected from consecutive adult patients referred to the National Institute of Respiratory Diseases’ Sleep Medicine Unit from October 2008 to October 2009. SDB diagnoses were established using standard polysomnography or simplified respiratory polygraphy. All patients routinely completed the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) on their first visit to the Sleep Medicine Unit.Results:382 patients with SDB were included. Mean age was 50.8±13.6 years, 62% were male. Anxiety symptoms were acknowledged by 71 patients (18.5%), while 29 (7.6%) had depression symptoms, and 116 (30.4%) had symptoms of anxiety plus depression. Patients who reported anxiety and depression symptoms scored higher on the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS, 16±7) than those with no symptoms (11±6) (p<0.0001). Patients with symptoms of anxiety plus depression also had higher BMIs (36 ± 8 K/m2) than patients with SDB without anxiety or depression. No other differences were observed, not even with respect to the parameters of the severity of their SDB.Conclusions:Our results support the recommendation that due to their high frequency and potential importance for long-term adherence to CPAP, anxiety and depression symptoms should be included in the routine evaluation of all adults with SDB.