Patients in the iPAH group had the significantly highest percentage of CD4+CTLA-4+ T lymphocytes among all PAH groups, as compared to those in the control group, patients with CTEPH, CTD-PAH and CHD-PAH.In iPAH patients, the percentages of CD4+CTLA-4+ T cells correlated strongly positively with the severity of heart failure New York Heart Association (NYHA) Functional Classification. The gene discussed is CD4; the disease is idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.