Function of granulocytes in B-chronic lymphatic leukaemia.

To study the function of granulocytes in patients with B-cell chronic lymphatic leukaemia (B-CLL), granulocytes were separated from peripheral blood of 48 patients (mean age: 69 years) and 35 apparently healthy age-matched volunteers. Spontaneous mobility, ingestion, digestion and antibody dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) of granulocytes were assessed. Decreased spontaneous mobility was found in granulocytes from patients with B-CLL but between the two groups no detectable differences were encountered in the other parameters tested. No alterations of granulocytes functions were found to be correlated with clinical stages of B-CLL. If granulocytes functions were compared in treated (chlorambucil, steroids) and untreated patients, a significant decrease in digestion was found in treated patients.