[Phagocytosis of neutrophilic granulocytes of intensive care patients: effect of immunoglobulin preparations].

Phagocytic capacity and the amount of PMN-granulocytes which take part in phagocytosis was investigated in patients with septicemia and polytrauma patients in comparison to PMN-granulocytes withdrawn from healthy volunteers by use of a standardized test-system in which autoclavated S.cerevisiae is the phagocytic agent. Influence of polyvalent immunoglobulin preparations together with patients' own serum incubation was compared with serum preincubation only in the test system mentioned above. It became evident that phagocytic capacity and the number of PMN-granulocytes which take part in phagocytosis in patients with septicemia are primary on a significant higher rate than those of other groups. PMN-granulocytes from polytraumated patients showed a significant higher rate on ingestion of S.cerevisiae pretreated with patients' own serum - especially after preopsonisation with immunoglobulins - than granulocytes from patients with septicemia or healthy volunteers.