Differential expression of lymphocyte subpopulations in the peripheral blood of patients with COVID‐19: Implications for disease severity and prognosis

Objective To investigate the expression patterns and clinical significance of specific lymphocyte subsets in the peripheral blood of patients with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection. Methods Between December 2022 and February 2023, a cohort of 165 patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine were analyzed. The participants represented various stages of coronavirus infection severity: mild, moderate, severe, and critical. Additionally, 40 healthy individuals constituted the control group. The FC 500MPL flow cytometer and associated reagents for flow cytometry. Results Compared with the healthy control group, activated B lymphocytes witnessed a pronounced increase (p