Chemotactic activity of neutrophil granulocytes in old people in health or with symptoms of infection.
Clinical observations point out that the inflammatory process follows a different course in old people as compared to young persons. In the studies on the mechanisms responsible for this difference the chemostatic activity of polymorphonuclear granulocytes was assessed in peripheral blood in healthy elderly persons and in people in the same age group with evidence of infections, mainly of bacterial origin. A decrease was demonstrated of the chemotactic activity of polymorphonuclears in healthy persons aged over 65 years, as compared to young people, and even a more pronounced reduction of this activity in old people with infections. The observed disturbances of the functions of phagocytic cells may be one of the causes of less effective antibacterial defense in the organism during the process of ageing.
Pawińska
M
M
Department of Geriatrics, Medical Centre of Postgraduate Education, Warszawa, Poland.
Wróblewski
T
T
Kaca
E
E
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000276:immunology*; D002634:Chemotaxis, Leukocyte; D003141:Communicable Diseases / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009504:Neutrophils / Q000502:physiology*