[Granulocyte function in Duchenne's progressive muscular dystrophy].

We studied the in vitro function of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in 14 patients affected by Duchenne muscular dystrophy, aged 2-14 years, especially the chemotaxis and the bactericidal activity. The chemotaxis appeared significantly reduced, while the bactericidal activity was sometimes reduced, sometimes increased. In this disease the polymorphonuclear leukocytes seems to have a reduced capacity of movement; probably this phenomenon is connected with an alteration of the muscular cellular apparatus, which perhaps is related with an electrolytic intercellular inequality. These findings are consistent with the definition of Duchenne muscular dystrophy as a systemic disease of the membrane with alterations not only of striped muscular fibers, but of various cells and tissues.