Age-dependent variations in polymorphonuclear leukocyte chemiluminescence.

Polymorphonuclear leukocytes from 46 adults (age 18 to 35), 19 adults (age 70 to 91), 10 children (age 1 to 3), and 22 neonates (cord blood samples) were tested for their chemiluminescence response to opsonized zymosan. Results indicated that both cord blood leukocytes and those from individuals over 70 were significantly lower (P less than 0.05) in their chemiluminescence response. Furthermore, when the latter group was divided into two subsets, one containing subjects over 80 years of age and the other containing subjects between 70 and 80 years of age, those over 80 showed a chemiluminescence response significantly lower (P less than 0.05) than those between 70 and 80. The kinetics of the chemiluminescence response was similar with all samples except the neonatal cells, where the response appeared to peak and subside more slowly. These data demonstrate that polymorphonuclear leukocyte chemiluminescence is depressed in the very young and the very old.