Neutrophil granulocyte function in patients with pulmonary infection.

Neutrophil granulocyte function was evaluated in patients with pulmonary disease to determine if a change in function occurred during active pulmonary infections. Twenty-five patients with cystic fibrosis of the pancreas were studied. Ten patients were asymptomatic and 15 patients had symptoms and signs of active pulmonary infection. Leukotaxis, random migration, and nitroblue tetrazolium dye reduction by neutrophils were compared in the asymptomatic and symptomatic patients. The leukotactic activity of circulating neutrophils was markedly increased in all of the patients with active pulmonary infection and spontaneous nitroblue tetrazolium dye reduction by neutrophils was increased in 13 of 15 patients. Bacterial infection confined to the respiratory tract is capable of stimulating circulating neutrophils making them more responsive to chemotactic factors as well as increasing nitroblue tetrazolium reduction.