POLYMORPHONUCLEAR LEUKOCYTE DYSREGULATION IN PATIENTS WITH GRAM-NEGATIVE SEPTICEMIA ASSESSED BY FLOW-CYTOMETRY

Flow cytometry was used to study phagocytic function and release of re active oxygen intermediates (ROI) following phagocytosis by granulocyt es in 14 patients (six female, eight male) with gram-negative septicae mia prior to, during, and after therapy compared with a group of healt hy controls. Phagocytic capacity was assessed by measuring uptake of f luorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labelled bacteria. Reactive oxygen ge neration after phagocytosis was measured by the quantification of dihy drorhodamine 123 converted to rhodamine 123 intracellulary. Compared w ith results in healthy controls granulocytes of septicaemic patients e xhibited a decreased capacity to phagocytize Escherichia coli and to g enerate reactive oxygen products. Both phagocytosis and ROI production increased after initiation of therapy and normalized within 7 days of treatment. The results suggest that granulocytes do not only particip ate in, but are also a target of, the septic host inflammatory respons e.