Studies on Phagocytic Activity of Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes in Childhood Part II. Phagocytic activity of PMNs in various diseases

Abstract

To clarify the phagocytic activity of polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) in children with various diseases, the present author studied PMNs in 4 cases with anorexia nervosa, 6 cases with bacterial meningitis, 6 cases with diabetes mellitus, 7 cases with acute leukemia, 3 cases with systemic lupus erythematosus, 9 cases with myasthenia gravis, 9 cases with rheumatic fever, 11 cases with mucocutaneous lymph node syndrome, 8 cases with idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura, 22 cases with anaphylactoid purpura, 10 cases with nephrotic syndrome, and in 10 cases with acute glomerulonephritis. The following results were obtained. 1) Bactericidal activity of PMNs was markedly reduced in anorexia nervosa, bacterial meningitis, diabetes mellitus, or myasthenia gravis, and normalized after clinical improvement. 2) Activity was reduced in acute myeloblastic leukemia and SLE before treatment, but was normal in 2 cases with acute lymphoblastic leukemia. 3) Activity was slightly reduced in MCLS with complications of iron deficiency anemia or cholestasis with coronary lesion. 4) Activity was reduced in acute glomerulonephritis with complications of urinary tract infection and infected dental caries. 5) Activity was almost normal in rheumatic fever, idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura and nephrotic syndrome. (Acta Paediatr Jpn 23(2): 152–161 1981)