[The spontaneous NBT-test in granulocytes of patients with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis]

30 patients with definite seronegative juvenile rheumatoid arthritis and 3 patients with tendosynovitis and unclear arthralgia respectively were examined by the nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) test (46 tests). A positive result could be obtained in 72 per cent of the examinations. Patients with a joint manifestation of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis showed relatively more positive results than patients with Morbus Wissler and the transition forms of juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. Tendosynovitis and unclear arthralgia were negative in the NBT test. The NBT test is not useful for the differentiation of bacterial-septic and rheumatoid-inflammatory joint diseases.