Chemiluminescence measurement of phagocytic activity of pulmonary macrophages in sarcoid alveolitis.

The phagocytic activity of alveolar macrophages in a group of patients with stage I and stage II fresh sarcoidosis has been studied in comparison with a group of healthy volunteers. The phagocytic activity has been measured by means of chemiluminescent emission recording. While no difference in the emission of chemiluminescence has been detected in polymorphonuclear leukocytes of patients and control subjects, a greater emission of chemiluminescence has been noted in the alveolar macrophages of sarcoid patients. Such a difference is statistically significant; its possible relation to alveolar inflammation has been considered.