[Effect of splenectomy on phagocytic function of leucocytes]

By means of whole blood chemiluminescence, phagocytic function of leucocytes (PFL) and the opsonic activity of plasma (OAP) were examined in 27 patients to observe the effect of splenectomy on phagocytic function of leucocytes. It was found that, the PFL of splenectomized patients was significantly lower than that of healthy persons and patients with cholecystectomy. It was then believed that the impaired immunological function against infection in splenectomized patients was related to the abnormal PFL resulting from the disappearance of tuftsin in the circulation, an important leucocytic activator produced only in the spleen. It was showed in this paper that the whole blood chemiluminescence is a simple, rapid and useful method in detecting PFL and OAP.