The Distribution Pattern of Lymphocyte Subsets according to the Level of Serum Albumin in Preoperative Patients with Gastric Cancer

위암 환자에서 수술 전 혈청 알부민수치에 따른 림프구아형의 분포양상

Purpose: Considering that nutritional state correlates to immunity, we performed this study to evaluate the correlation by assessing the numerical changes of the levels of serum albumin and lymphocyte subsets. Materials and Methods: The study was performed on patients who were diagnosed as having gastric cancer and who underwent curative surgery from August 1998 to August 2004 in the Gyeongsang National University Hospital and whose peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets were tested prior to surgery. The study population was a total of 150 cases. Results: The change in the lymphocyte subsets in relation to the change in the level of serum albumin in all patients with gastric cancer was determined, and was compared to disease stages. When patients were classified by using the level of serum albumin with 3.2 mg/dl as the cut-off point (low group: serum albumin <3.2 mg/dl, normal group = serum albumin $\geq$ 3.2 mg/dl), the number of peripheral blood lymphocytes, CD3+ cells, CD4+ cells, CD8+ cells, and CD16+ 56 cells were, significantly lower in the group with the level of serum albumin below 3.2 mg/dl (low group) than it was in the group with a serum albumin level above 3.2 mg/dl (normal group) (P<0.05). In stage I (n=59), CD16+56 cells were significantly lower in the low group. In stage II (n=29), the number of CD16+56 cells was lower and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ was higher in the low group than in the normal group significantly. In stage IV (n=33), except for CD19+ cells, the number of all lymphocyte subsets was significantly lower and the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ was significantly higher in the low group. Conclusion: The group with a low level of serum albumin had a low absolute number of lymphocyte subsets. Based on this, we reconfirmed that the nutritional state is closely related with the immune state in patients with gastric cancer.

목적: 영양상태가 면역력과 상관관계가 있다는 점에 착안하여 위암 환자에서의 혈청 알부민수치와 림프구아형의 수적인 병화에 근거하여 그 상관관계를 확인하고자 본 연구를 시행하였다. 대상 및 방법: 1998년 8월부터 2004년 8월까지 위암으로 진단 받고 수술을 시행한 한자 중에서 수술 전에 말초혈액 림프구아형 검사를 시행한 환자 150명을 대상으로 하였다. 결과: 위암 환자에서 혈청 알부민수치 변화에 따른 림프구아형의 병화를 비교하였고, 각 병기에 따른 변화도 비교하였다. 3.2 mg/dl를 기준으로 환자들을 구분하였을 때 말초혈액 림프구수, CD3+ 세포, CD4+ 세포, CD8+ 세포, CD16+56 세포수는 혈청 알부민 수치가 3.2 mg/dl 이상인 군보다 3.2 mg/dl 미만인 군에서 의미 있게 감소한 것을 볼 수 있었다(P<0.05). 혈청 알부민수치가 낮은 군에서 제1기(n=59)에서는 CD16+ 세포수의 감소, CD4+/CD8+ 비율의 의미 있는 증가가 있었다(P<0.05). 제IV기(n=33)에서도 혈청 알부민수치가 낮은 군에서 CD19+세포를 제외한 나머지 모든 림프구아형의 수적인 감소가 있었고 CD4+/CD8+ 비율의 증가가 있었다(P<0.05). 결론: 혈청알부민수치가 낮은 군이 정상인 군보다 전반적인 림프구아형의 절대수가 낮다. 이에 근거하여 위암 환자에서 영양상태와 면역상태는 깊은 상관관계가 있음을 다시 확인하였다.