ANALYSIS OF CIRCULATING PHAGOCYTE ACTIVITY MEASURED BY WHOLE-BLOOD LUMINESCENCE - CORRELATIONS WITH CLINICAL STATUS

The present study was undertaken to determine if measurement and analy sis of phagocyte function are useful for diagnosis and staging of infe ction. Circulating phagocyte activity was measured in healthy voluntee rs and sequentially in patients with acute infections of different typ es and severity, including those with diabetes mellitus or human immun odeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Using an automated luminescence sys tem, these phagocyte functions were measured in whole blood: basal and phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-stimulated oxidase activity, ba sal and PMA-stimulated simple dioxygenation (e.g., oxidase-driven halo peroxidase activity), and circulating and primed opsonin receptor-depe ndent dioxygenation. Multiple discriminant analysis of these data show ed significant differences between healthy controls, diabetic patients , HIV-positive subjects, and patients with pneumonia or sepsis syndrom es. Longitudinally, circulating phagocyte function correlated with cli nical condition, severity of infection, and outcome. This methodology provides rapid, objective, and sensitive diagnostic and monitoring inf ormation for patients with infections.