The therapeutic use of peritoneal macrophages in infected leukaemic patients.

Ten patients with acute leukaemia and infection unresponsive to antibiotics received single or multiple transfusions of peritoneal cells, mainly macrophages, obtained from donors undergoing peritoneal dialysis for renal failure. In six patients the cultures became negative and the temperature returned to normal and remained there, in two, there was temporary return of the temperature to normal and two patients showed no response. No significant side-effects were encountered. No changes in leukaemic blast cell numbers were seen in any of the patients.