Neutrophil function in patients with localized juvenile periodontitis and with rapidly progressive periodontitis.

PMN chemotactic function and oxydative metabolism were investigated in 13 patients with rapidly progressive periodontitis (RPP) and 9 patients with localized juvenile periodontitis (LJP) using a chemotaxis assay (CHA), luminol chemiluminescence (CL) and nitroblue-tetrazolium (NBT) tests. In the LJP patients there was a significantly lower CHA than in the RPP patients (less than 40%). Three out of the 13 RPP patients displayed a cell-dependent increase of CHA and in 3, the reduced CHA measured was serum-associated whilst among the 9 LJP patients, a cell-dependent defect of CHA was present in 5 patients, a serum-associated defect in one patient and a combined cell- and serum-associated defect was found in another patient. The average values of CL in the RPP patients were significantly lower (1309.3 +/- 814.2) than those measured in the LJP group (2208 +/- 826.9). In contrast, the mean NBT test values indicated a lower phagocytic function in the LJP patients than in the RPP ones suggesting also the presence of a serum-dependent factor in RPP and that of a combined cell- and serum-response in LJP. According to these results, the neutrophil dysfunction in RPP, as indicated by both the chemotaxis and the oxydative metabolism nature, was frequently associated with a serum factor.