Niculescu T, Cojocaru M
N. Gh. Lupu Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, Romania.
Rom J Intern Med. 1995 Jan-Jun;33(1-2):73-6.
The functional capacity of neutrophils was studied using the NBT test in 68 patients with silicosis in various evolutive stages, comparatively with a group of 35 controls. The NBT test showed an initial increase of nonspecific cellular reactivity which decreased as the disease evolved. The results in the control group showed 9 +/- 5% NBT positive neutrophils. The highest proportion of NBT positive neutrophils (17.6 +/- 2.3, p < or = 0.05) was found in stage I of the disease and then decreased gradually with the evolution of the disease. The proportion of NBT positive neutrophils may be considered as a biochemical marker of neutrophil functionality.
