Function of peripheral blood granulocytes in infants with protracted enteropathy.

Eighty-six infants between the age of 1.0 to 22 months were hospitalized at the I11 Clinic of Pediatrics, Silesian Academy of Medicine, in the period 1976-1981. Group I comprised 47 infants with protracted enteropathy: Group I a-22 infants with signs of protracted enteropathy in the active course of disease after infection with Salmonella, Proteus and/or Escherichiu coli. Weight loss had a mean value of 31.1f9.4Y0. In 7 infants with suspected coeliac disease total villous atrophy was shown in 3 cases, subtotal villous atrophy in 4 cases. In 10 patients hypoproteinemia was detected in the serum. The number of leukocytes during NBTreduction tests and yeast phagocytosis test ranged from 3700 to 18000 mm3, mean 7 815 mm3. Group I b consisted of 14 infants with protracted enteropathy, weight loss had a mean value of 30.1+8.7%. Tests were carried out during remission of diarrhoea. The number of leukocytes during studies varied from 4000 to 10800 mm’. Group I c comprised 11 children with protracted enteropathy and suspected coeliac disease, during clinical recovery. No clinical and bacteriological signs of infection were identified. Weight loss was 19.7f12.4Y0. Total villous atrophy revealed in 9 children and subtotal villous atrophy in 2 cases. The number of leukocytes varied from 5 500 to 8000 mm3, mean 6 800 mm3. Group I1 consisted of 39 infants, including 24 (Group I1 a) with acute diarrhoea and 15 (Group IIb) during recovery, after remission of diarrhoea (Control Group). The number of leukocytes varied from 4000 to 18 OOO mm3, mean 7 161 mm’. The spontaneous NBT reduction, stimulated NBTreduction as well as phagocytic indices were determined by the method of Park et al. (1) and Walter et al. (2). At the same time a test defining the capacity of yeast phagocytosis was used according to the method of Jacobs & Miller (3).