[Phagocytic activity of polymorphonuclear cells in patients with psoriasis vulgaris from the aspect of PUVA therapy]

Abstract

The authors present results of examining phagocytotic activity of polymorphonuclear (PMN) granulocytes in patients with psoriasis vulgaris from the aspect of applied PUVA-therapy. 100 patients with psoriasis vulgaris were examined and divided into three groups, 20 patients with acute exanthematous form of the disease, 16 patients with chronic stationary form of the disease, and 64 patients with acute phase of the chronic form of the disease. 50 healthy persons made up the control group. Phagocytotic activity of neutrophils was examined by opsonization test, a modified method by Brandt. Phagocytotic index was expressed as a number of ingested particles of yeast germs in 100 PMN. Polymorphonuclears of patients were examined in the autologous and control serum of healthy people. Values of immunoglobulin IgM and IgG as well as values of complement C3 were examined in all patients using the method of laser nephelometry (Behring). All mentioned parameters were determined prior to and after PUVA therapy which was conducted by apparatus: PUVA 4000 and 6001. Results of examination show that the phagocytotic activity of PMN in patients with psoriasis vulgaris is normal and that it does not depend on how skin disorders are spread, on the strength of infiltration, exudation, the length of duration and course of the disease, as well as on applied PUVA-therapy. Reduced phagocytotic activity of PMN was determined only in individual cases, that is in 5 patients not depending on the applied therapy. In one patient hypoimmunoglobulinemia IgM as a probable cause of disturbed phagocytosis was established while in the remaining 4 patients causes of reduced phagocytosis remained unknown.