Neutrophil chemotaxis and random migration in preterm and term infants with sepsis

The aim of this study was to evaluate neutrophil chemotaxis and random migr ation in healthy newborn infants and septic neonates with similar gestation al and postnatal age. Possible relationships between chemotactic activity, random migration, causative microorganisms, and clinical course of septic i nfants were also investigated. The neutrophil chemotaxis and random migrati on was evaluated in 24 healthy newborn babies and 34 septic neonates and 20 healthy adults by modified Boyden technique. The mean neutrophil chemotaxi s of healthy preterm-term infants and adults were similar (66.6 +/- 18.9, 6 4.4 +/- 19.9, and 74.7 +/- 77 mu m, respectively). The mean neutrophil rand om migration of healthy term infants was not different than that of adults. But the mean neutrophil random migration of healthy preterm infants was lo wer than that of adults (36.9 +/- 13.7 and 43.5 +/- 11.8 mu m, respectively ) (p = 0.03). The mean neutrophil chemotaxis and random migration septic te rm infants were not different from the value of healthy term infants (p > 0 .05). Although the mean random migration of septic and preterm infants were similar (p > 0.05), the mean neutrophil chemotaxis of septic preterm infan ts was lower than the value of healthy preterm infants (p = 0.04). Not only mean neutrophil chemotaxis of septic preterm acid term infants were signif icantly lower than that of adults (p = 0.002 and p = 0.006, respectively) b ut also neutrophil random migration of septic preterm and term infants were significantly lower than that of adults (p = 0.001 and p = 0.005, respecti vely). There was no relationship between the nature of causative microorgan ism and neutrophil random migration or chemotactic activity. Polymorphonucl ear leukocytes chemotaxis was significantly lower in preterm with sepsis co mpared with healthy preterm-term infants and adults. These findings may ind icate deterioration in neutrophil functions in premature babies under stres s but more detailed studies with larger groups are needed.