Defective chemotaxis in uremia.

Of uremic patients, 37% demonstrated the presence of CFI in their sera. The serum factor acts directly on leukotatic factors, C5f, C3f, and BF to render them irreversibly inactive. Inhibitory activity was found in five of 16 patients: 37% to 61% for C5f, 25% to 36% for C3f, and 28% to 51% for BF. There is no correlation of this inhibitory activity with BUN or creatinine levels. The presence of this chemotactic inhibitor may be responsible for the increased incidence of infection in uremia.