Hitoshi KURABAYASHI, Kazuo KUBOTA, Izumi MACHIDA, Takuo SHIRAKURA

Division of Rehabilitation, Kusatsu Branch Hospital, Gunma University School of Medicine

(Received 2 October 1996; accepted 24 December 1996)

Abstract: Immunological parameters and serum cytokine levels during a 2-month period of physical therapy were evaluated in 11 patients with hemiplegia 2-4 weeks after the onset of cerebrovascular diseases who were classified into the grades 3-8 by the criteria of Ueda on admission. Compared with the patients who discontinued the physical therapy 3-4 weeks after the onset of stroke because of their own will, the ratio of CD4+/CD8+ cells, responses of lymphocytes to mitogens, suppressor/inducer T cells (CD4+xCD45R+), helper/inducer T cells (CD4+xCD29+), antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity activity, and interleukin-2 receptor were increased significantly, though suppressor T cells (CD8+xCD11+), cytotoxic T cells (CD8+xCD11-), serum levels of interleukin-2 and 6, and natural killer cell activity were not changed. It may be suggested that physical therapy in stroke patients has an effect to increase the immune function.

Key words: physical therapy, immune function,cytokine