[The migration capability of neutrophilic granulocytes in disseminated tuberculosis and sarcoidosis of the lungs].

A method for estimation of neutrophilic granulocyte spontaneous migration in capillaries is suggested. Twenty-one patients with disseminated pulmonary tuberculosis, 19 ones with active pulmonary sarcoidosis, and 30 normal subjects were examined. The findings evidence a higher migration activity of neutrophilic granulocytes in the patients, 66.4 +/- 8.5 in tuberculosis and 65.1 +/- 7.7 in sarcoidosis as against that in health (32.4 +/- 4.0). Tuberculin was found to stimulate cell migration in tuberculosis patient; the migration index made up 1.3 +/- 0.07 in this case. This agent had no apparent effect on the phagocytes of sarcoidosis patients and normal subjects, and their migration index did not exceed 1.0. Neutrophilic granulocyte reaction to tuberculin may be used in the differential diagnosis between pulmonary tuberculosis and sarcoidosis.