Low CD4 + T cell count is related to specific anti-nuclear antibodies, IFNα protein positivity and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus pregnancy
Background: Lymphopenia, autoantibodies and activation of the type I interferon (IFN) system are common features in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We speculate whether lymphocyte subset counts are affected by pregnancy and if they relate to autoantibody profiles and/or IFNα protein in SLE pregnancy. Methods: Repeated blood samples were collected during pregnancy from 80 women with SLE and 51