Studiodella funzionalità granulocitaria in bambini talassemici

Overhelming infection is a well known complication of splenectomy in Cooley's anemia. A low complement activith has been demonstrated in thalassaemia and this defect could play a role in infections. However, the relationship between polymorphonuclear leucocyte (PMN) function and bacterial infections has not yet been investigated in thalassaemic patients. In the present study, PMN function (phagocytosis, killing, nitroblue tetrazolium reduction) was assessed in 12 splenomegalic and 10 splenectomized thalassaemic patients. PMN's phagocytic and bactericidal activities were detected by the method of Mandell and Hook as modified by Moroni et al. Nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction by resting and latex-stimulated leukocytes was measured according to the methods of Park et al. and Park and Good as modified by Besana et al. Phagocytosis was significantly impaired only in splenomegalic patients. Intracellular killing and NBT reduction were normal in all patients. It is concluded that sepsis is not related to an impaired PMN function.