Pyoderma gangrenosum. Abnormal monocyte function corrected in vitro with hydrocortisone.

A 34-year-old man with chronic active hepatitis and pyoderma gangrenosum demonstrated abnormalities in neutrophil and monocyte function. Monocytes from this man had diminished chemotaxis and bacterial phagocytosis. These functions were significantly improved in vitro after one hour of incubation of monocytes with 10(-5) hydrocortisone. Neutrophil function was nornal for bactericidal activity and phagocytosis, but neutrophil chemotaxis was diminished. A plasma inhibitor was not found to explain these phagocyte alterations.