Group A, (n = 49) Group B, (n = 206) t value Group A, (n = 49) Group B, (n = 206) t value P value 0.32 ± 0.02 (n = 25) 0.31 ± 0.03 (n = 103) 0.881 > 0.05 0.33 ± 0.03 (n = 25) 0.30 ± 0.03 (n = 103) 3.588 < 0.01 Cellular Immunity after Chronic Hepatitis B Xibing G et al. 813 Table 4. Comparison of Baseline T Cell Subgroup, HBV Specific CTL a, Non-Specific CTL and NK a Cells between Group A and Group B (mean ± SD) CD3+ CD4+ CD8+ CD4+/CD8+ Non-specific CTL HBV specific CTL 65.01 ± 1.27 30.61 ± 1.67 30.09 ± 1.21 1.02 ± 0.05 20.24 ± 1.57 P value > 0.05 < 0.01 < 0.01 a Abbreviation: CTL, cytotoxic T lymphocyte; NK, natural killer 65.83 ± 3.07 34.23 ± 1.71 26.95 ± 1.51 1.28 ± 0.06 17.18 ± 1.28 1.678 12.761 12.311 19.997 < 0.01 12.971 < 0.01 Table 5. Comparison of T Cell Subgroup, HBV Specific CTL a ,Non-Specific CTL and NK a Cells between Group A after the Disease Progressed to Chronic Severe Hepatitis B and Group B 10 Days after Admission (mean ± SD) CD3+ CD4+ CD8+ 65.42 ± 2.13 28.25 ± 1.66 33.38 ± 1.51 CD4+/CD8+ 0.85 ± 0.06 Non-Specific CTL HBV Specific CTL 23.47 ± 1.77 65.87 ± 3.15 34.17 ± 1.72 26.97 ± 1.44 1.27 ± 0.08 17.21 ± 1.55 0.898 > 0.05 19.515 < 0.01 24.765 < 0.01 28.561 < 0.01 21.956 < 0.01 a Abbreviation: CTL, cytotoxic T lymphocyte; NK, natural killer Table 6. Comparison of T Cell Subgroup, HBV Specific CTL a, Non-Specific CTL and NK a Cells in Group A after the Disease Progressed to Chronic Severe Hepati- tis B, Group B 10 Days after Admission and the baseline of both Groups (mean ± SD) CD3+ CD4+ CD8+ CD4+CD8+ Non-Specific CTL HBV Specific CTL NK Cells Baseline After progress t value P value Baseline t value P value 10 d after admission 65.87 ± 3.15 65.01 ± 1.27 65.42 ± 2.13 1.125 > 0.05 65.83 ± 3.07 0.161 > 0.05 Group A, (n = 49) 30.61 ± 1.67 30.09 ± 1.21 1.02 ± 0.05 28.25 ± 1.66 33.38 ± 1.51 0.85 ± 0.06 6.441 < 0.01 34.23 ± 1.71 34.17 ± 1.72 0.492 > 0.05 10.887 < 0.01 0.251 > 0.05 Group B, (n = 206) 26.95 ± 1.51 1.28 ± 0.06 26.97 ± 1.44 1.27 ± 0.08 11.567 < 0.01 0.664 > 0.05 20.24 ± 1.57 23.47 ± 1.77 8.83 < 0.01 17.18 ± 1.28 17.21 ± 1.55 0.283 > 0.05 0.32 ± 0.02 (n = 25) 0.33 ± 0.03 (n = 25) 0.971 > 0.05 10.33 ± 1.93 7.02 ± 1.45 9.594 < 0.01 0.31 ± 0.03 (n=103) 13.08 ± 1.41 0.30 ± 0.03 (n=103) 13.07 ± 1.98 2.86 < 0.01 0.059 > 0.05 NK cells 10.33 ± 1.93 13.08 ± 1.41 11.364 < 0.01 NK Cells 7.02 ± 1.45 13.07 ± 1.98 20.10 < 0.01 a Abbreviation: CTL, cytotoxic T lymphocyte; NK, natural killer 4.2. Comparison of T Cell Subgroups, Nonspecific CTLs, and NK Cells between CHB Patients and Controls The T cell subgroup, nonspecific CTL, and NK cell levels on Day 2 of admission (baseline) in the 255 CHB patients and 30 healthy controls are listed in Table 2. The mean CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+, and NK cell levels in the patients with CHB were significantly lower versus the control group (P < 0.01), and the mean CD8 and nonspecific CTL levels in CHB patients were significantly higher com- pared with controls (P < 0.01). Table 3 shows the compari- son of T cell subgroups, nonspecific CTLs, and NK cells at baseline between Groups A and B. The mean CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+, and NK cell levels in Group A were significant- ly lower than in the healthy control group (P < 0.01), and the mean CD8+ and nonspecific CTL levels in CHB patients were higher than in the healthy control group (P < 0.01). The mean CD3+, CD4+, CD4+/CD8+, and NK cell counts in Group B were also significantly lower than in the control group (P < 0.01), and mean CD8+ and nonspecific CTL lev- els in Group B were higher than in the healthy control group (P < 0.01). 4.3. Comparison of T Cell Subgroups, HBV-Specific CTL, Nonspecific CTLs, and NK Cells between Groups A and B Of the 49 cases in Group A, 25 were positive for HLA-A2 (51.02%); of the 206 cases of Group B, 103 were positive for HLA-A2 (50%). HBV-specific CTLs were measured only in HLA-A2-positive patients. T cell subgroup, HBV-specific CTL, nonspecific CTL, and NK cell levels at baseline in both CHB groups are listed in Table 4. The mean levels of CD4+, CD4+/CD8+ and NK cells in Group A were significant- ly lower than in Group B (P < 0.01), and the mean CD8+ and nonspecific CTL levels in Group A were higher than in Group B (P < 0.01). Interestingly, there was no signifi- cant difference in HBV-specific CTL response between the two groups of patients with CHB i.e. the HBV-specific CTL Hepat Mon. 2011;11(10):810-815