The NBT test: Erratic behaviour in acute leukaemia

Non-stimulated and stimulated nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) dye test was studied in sixteen adult patients with acute leukaemia in sequence, viz. at the time of diagnosis, during and after treatment. It was found that the capacity of the neutrophilic granulocytes to reduce NBT (non-stimulated) was below, within or above the range for the normal group. Two of the patients had a constant negative non-stimulated NBT test. The stimulated NBT test was below the normal range. Generally, there was no correlation between the percentage of NBT positive cells and fever of bacterial origin. All sixteen patients but four were found to be within the normal range concerning phagocytic ability.