[Hypodense eosinophils in blood of pediatric patients with asthma].
OBJECTIVE
Determine the number of circulating hypodense eosinophils in the blood of atopic asthmatics.


METHODS
The hypothesis was that hypodense eosinophils, the activated cells, were higher in asthmatics than in non-atopic children. Granulocytes were separated from mononuclear cells by Ficoll-hypaque. Gradients of density were generated through dilutions of Percoll for fractionations of cells.


RESULTS
Asthmatics had blood eosinophilia (768 +/- 75/mcl) when compared to normal control (200 +/- 28/mcl), and higher mean hypodense eosinophils (39%) as compared to normal children (11.7%).


CONCLUSIONS
Eosinophils accumulate in asthmatic, especially the low density activated variant, suggesting its active role in the allergic inflammatory process.
Kantor
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Médico Pneumopediatra do Hospital de Clínicas, PAG UFPR, Curitiba.
Rosário Filho
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