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The NBT test: Erratic behaviour in acute leukaemia

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Summary

Non-stimulated and stimulated nitroblue tetrazolium (NBT) dye test was studied in sixteen adult patients with acute leukaemia in sequence, viz. at the time of diagnosis, during and after treatment. It was found that the capacity of the neutrophilic granulocytes to reduce NBT (non-stimulated) was below, within or above the range for the normal group. Two of the patients had a constant negative non-stimulated NBT test. The stimulated NBT test was below the normal range. Generally, there was no correlation between the percentage of NBT positive cells and fever of bacterial origin. All sixteen patients but four were found to be within the normal range concerning phagocytic ability.

Zusammenfassung

Bei 16 erwachsenen Patienten mit akuter Leukämie wurde die Neutrophilenfunktion mit Hilfe des Nitroblau-Tetrazolium-Testes (NBT) ohne und mit Stimulation durch verschiedene bakterielle Toxine geprüft. Die Funktions-Teste wurden erstmals zur Zeit der Diagnose durchgeführt, später während und nach Behandlung. Ohne Stimulation wurden sowohl verminderte als auch erhöhte Reduktionswerte für NBT gefunden; 2 Patienten zeigten konstant eine fehlende NBT-Reduktion. Nach Stimulation lag der Reduktionswert immer unter der Norm. Eine Korrelation zum Auftreten fieberhafter bakterieller Infekte war nicht zu erkennen. Bei 12 der 16 Patienten zeigte sich eine normale Phagozytose-Aktivität der neutrophilen Leukozyten. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, daß der NBT-Test zur Unterscheidung von bakteriell bedingten und nicht bakteriell bedingten Fieberzuständen bei akuter Leukämie nicht geeignet ist.

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Author notes

  1. Gunhild Lange Wantzin

    Present address: Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine A, Rigshospitalet, University Hospital of Copenhagen, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine A, Rigshospitalet, University Hospital of Copenhagen, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Jørgen Wantzin

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  1. Gunhild Lange Wantzin
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Wantzin, G.L., Wantzin, J. The NBT test: Erratic behaviour in acute leukaemia. Blut 31, 133–142 (1975). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01634835

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