A STUDY OF THE INTRACELLULAR KILLING OF THE PERIPHERAL BLOOD NEUTROPHILS IN β- THALASSEMIA MAJOR PATIENTS

52 β- thalassemia major patients were studied. Their ages ranged from two to 20 years. The group consisted of 22 girls and 30 boys. Candida intracellular killing and NBT (nitroblue tetrazolium) tests were performed on the peripheral blood neutrophils of these patients. Average results of the intracellular killing test was within normal range for the patients, but showed an appreciable decrease in comparison with the results of the normal control tests (50 normal persons of the same age group were tested as normal controls. This decrease was more pronounced in those patients who had undergone splenectomy. A converse relationship was observed between the results of the patients' intracellular killing and their serum ferritin level and age. Average results of the patients' NBT tests showed an increase in comparison with those of the control group. The average results for the patients who had their spleens removed due to hypersplenism was the same as in those who had normal spleens and had no relation to the serum ferritin level but did show a moderate relationship with the age of the patients. A suggestion that can be put forth is the likelihood that intracellular killing of peripheral blood neutrophils in the β- thalassemia patients is conductive to the determination of those with greater susceptibility to infection.