Neutrophil function and diagnosis of pre-leukaemic states

Haemopoietic dysplasia is a condition which often precedes the development of acute non-lymphocytic leukaemia. Before this event, however, patients are at risk from severe infections even in the absence of neutropenia. This paper describes 3 patients with haemopoietic dysplasias in whom neutrophil microbicidal activity was deficient in vitro. The important abnormality appeared to be defective release of myeloperoxidase into the phagocytic vacuole. Two of these patients suffered from numerous baterial infections.