LEUKOCYTES LIPID RELEASE ABILITY AND CERTAIN IMMUNE DEFICIENCY CRITERIA IN COMMUNITY ACQUIRED PNEUMONIAE PATIENTS

Abstract

Abstract. The aim of present study was to investigate some indexes of immune deficiency, antimicrobial protective mechanisms, and lipid-releasing ability of leukocytes in patients with community-acquired pneumonia. The study groups involved fifty-two pneumonia patients and 26 healthy people. The patients were subdivided into two age groups, 20-40, and 41-60 years old. We classified the laboratory findings according to severity and clinical phase of the disease, and smoking status. Evaluation of immune deficiency included filling of special questionnaire, drawing of scores, and stratification into two groups, according to presence or absence of clinical immune deficiency. Serum concentrations of IL-6, IL-8, TNFαα and CRP, were detected by enzyme immune assay. An original technique was applied for detection of lipid-releasing ability of leukocytes. It was shown that 46 per cent of pneumonia patients showed clinical signs of immune insufficiency, being more common in cases of severe pneumonia, or extensive lung damage, according to radiological data. A relative quantitative deficiency of serum IL-8 and TNFαα was revealed in patients with severe pneumonia, accompanied by elevated serum IL-6. Lipid-releasing ability of leukocytes was significantly decreased among patients between 20 to 40 years old. This deficiency was more expressed in patients with severe pneumonia, and it returned to near- normal levels upon clinical resolution of the disease.

Keywords

• antimicrobial defense
• cytokines
• leukocytes
• pneumonia