NEUTROPHIL FUNCTION IN PEDIATRIC-PATIENTS AFTER BONE-MARROW TRANSPLANTATION

Purpose: To evaluate the function of neutrophils after marrow engraftm ent to determine if patients are at increased risk of infection becaus e of qualitative as well as quantitative deficiencies of these cells. Patients and Methods: A total of 30 patients were investigated (6 auto logous and 24 allogeneic bone marrow transplant (BMT) recipients) afte r engraftment. Assays of superoxide anion production, phagocytosis, an d bactericidal ability were performed, serially when possible. Results : Superoxide anion production was depressed (45.6% of control) during the first 30 days after BMT and returned to normal by 90 days. The cap acity of neutrophils to kill both Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphyloc occus aureus was also mildly impaired after BMT, although not to a sta tistically significant degree, but phagocytosis by opsonic and nonopso nic receptor-mediated processes was unaffected. Conclusion: We conclud e that there is a transient defect in neutrophil oxygen radical produc tion after BMT that may render patients at risk for pyogenic infection s.