[Granulocyte function in the aged]

22 patients (10 female, 12 male) aged between 60 and 76 were tested in vitro with regard to granulocyte function (i.e., leucotaxis, chemotaxis, capability of phagocytosis, intracellular killing of bacteria, and oxidase reaction). Most of the patients showed reduced chemotactic activity of the granulocytes, although the motility of these cells was normal. With regular phagocytosis of candida albicans cells--either active or heat-inactivated the intracellular killing rate of bacteria was clearly decreased in all cases. The intracellular oxidase activity of granulocytes always showed normal function.