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Measuring Granulocyte and Monocyte Phagocytosis and Oxidative Burst Activity in Human Blood
11:29

Measuring Granulocyte and Monocyte Phagocytosis and Oxidative Burst Activity in Human Blood

Published on: September 12, 2016

Dysfunction of peripheral blood granulocyte oxidative metabolism in children with recurrent upper respiratory tract

Małgorzata Kowalska1, Halina Kowalska, Lidia Zawadzka-Głos

  • 1Department of Laboratory Diagnostics and Clinical Immunology of Developmental Age, Warsaw University School of Medicine, Poland. wasik@litewska.edu.pl

International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology
|March 29, 2003
PubMed

Insights

Recurrent respiratory infections and tonsillar hypertrophy in children are linked to altered granulocyte function. Impaired oxidative metabolism in these immune cells suggests a potential role in infection susceptibility.

Area of Science:

  • Immunology
  • Pediatrics
  • Infectious Diseases

Background:

  • Granulocytes are crucial for fighting bacterial infections.
  • Granulocyte dysfunction can lead to or result from infections.
  • Recurrent upper respiratory tract infections and tonsillar hypertrophy are common in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the oxidative metabolism of peripheral blood granulocytes in children with recurrent upper respiratory tract infections and/or tonsillar hypertrophy.
  • To assess the relationship between granulocyte function and these conditions.

Main Methods:

  • Studied 50 children (aged 1-10 years) divided into four groups: healthy controls, idiopathic tonsillar hypertrophy, upper respiratory tract infections, and combined conditions.
  • Assessed granulocyte oxidative metabolism via n-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (nFMLP)-induced chemiluminescence.

Main Results:

  • Altered granulocyte activity (both increased and depressed) was observed in all patient groups, unlike controls.
  • 30% of patients with idiopathic tonsillar hypertrophy showed altered granulocyte function.
  • 75% to 90% of children with recurrent infections exhibited abnormal chemiluminescence.

Conclusions:

  • A potential link exists between recurrent upper respiratory tract infections, tonsillar hypertrophy, and impaired peripheral blood granulocyte chemiluminescence.
  • This suggests granulocyte dysfunction may play a role in the pathogenesis of these conditions in children.

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