OBJECTIVE To observe the changes of immunoglobulin (Ig) and helper T cell (Th1)/Th2 cells in children with henoch-schonlein purpura (HSP) complicated with Helicobacter pylori (Hp) infection, and to analyze their associations with disease progression.

METHODS Children diagnosed as HSP in Wuhan Children′s Hospital Affiliated of Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology were included from Mar. 2021 to Mar. 2024. The levels of Ig, Th1/Th2 cell and related factors interleukin-4 (IL-4), interferon-γ (INF-γ) were detected and the influence of Hp infection on these factors was analyzed.

RESULTS IgA level, Th1/Th2, IL-4 and IFN-γ in HSP with Hp patients was statistically different from those in patients with just HSP (2.03±0.37) g/L vs. (1.73±0.16) g/L, (0.99±0.26) vs. (1.14±0.30); (33.30±6.25) pg/ml vs. (27.65±4.11) pg/ml; (17.18±3.74) pg/ml vs. (21.77±43.62) pg/ml, respectively (P < 0.05). When comparing renal damaged HSP children with Hp with non-renal damaged ones, the differences of the levels of IgA and Th1/Th2 cells were statistically significant (2.30±0.49) g/L vs. (1.90±0.21) g/L; (0.85±0.24) vs. (1.05±0.25), respectively (P < 0.05). Receiver operating characteristic curve analyzed IgA, Th1/Th2 cells and their combination for evaluating renal damage, it was showed that the area under curve (AUC) of IgA and Th1/Th2 cell were 0.767 and 0.751, respectively, which were lower than the combination 0.825 (P < 0.05) with the sensitivity and specificity 66.70% and 93.70% respectively.

CONCLUSION IgA, Th1/Th2 cells and related factors in children with HSP complicated with Hp infection are abnormal, and there are certain relationships among them; moreover, the changes of IgA and Th1/Th2 cells may be related to renal damage.