Functional characterization of peripheral blood neutrophils in patients with hyperthyroidism.

The thyroid hormones may exert an important effect on neutrophil functions which play a key role in the defence against microbial pathogens. Therefore investigations of the biological functions of neutrophils in peripheral blood of 80 women with hyperthyroidism were performed. The following functions of neutrophils were examined: nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) reduction ability, phagocytosis, adherence to fibers as well as spontaneous migration of leukocytes and activity of lysozyme in serum. The total number of leukocytes and neutrophils was also determined. The results were compared with those in the control group consisting of 40 healthy women. The data show that in patients with hyperthyroidism, the number of leukocytes and neutrophils was decreased (respectively 4.90 x 10(9) +/- 1.20, 2.70 x 10(9) +/- 0.54 in patients, and 5.40 x 10(9) +/- 1.30, 3.00 x 10(9) +/- 0.74 in the control subjects), index of spontaneous reduction NBT was increased (17.1% +/- 4.5 in patients and 11.1% +/- 4.5 in the control group), index of phagocytosing cells was decreased (63.0% +/- 16.0, 80.3% +/- 14.0 in patients and 72.2% +/- 12.1, 87.4% +/- 12.0 in the control group), an increase in adherence (71% +/- 17 in patients and 58% +/- 10 in the control subjects), and a decrease in the lysozyme activity in undiluted and diluted serum was found (185 IU/ml +/- 85,209 IU/ml +/- 78 in patients and 284 IU/ml +/- 84,352 IU/ml +/- 140 in the control group).