Decreased phagocytic function in patients with Parkinson's disease

To determine the phagocytic function of the peripheral blood polymorphonucl ears from patients with treated and untreated Parkinson's disease (PD), the se cells were incubated with latex particles and the number of phagocytes, as well as the number of particles engulfed by each individual cell, were c ounted. Cells of untreated PD patients were significantly less phagocytotic than those of matched subjects without neurological or immune disorders (2 4% vs. 45%, P < 0.001). In addition, phagocytes from PD patients engulfed l ess particles per cell than those of the controls (8.4 +/- 0.7 vs. 16.5 +/- 1.3, P < 0.001). Then was no significant difference in both functions in u ntreated and treated PD. The results indicate that in addition to the known immune alterations in patients with PD, the ability of their peripheral bl ood phagocytic cells to engulf latex particles is impaired. (C) 1999 Elsevi er, Paris.