Intravascular granulocyte kinetics in acute leukemia.

I NFECTION is a major cause of death in acute leukemia.’ Although the phagocytic activity of the mature granulocyte in the leukemic patient appears to be unimpaired,2” numerous studies have demonstrated a defect in granulocyte mobilization to an inflammatory site.4#{176}The response is both delayed and diminished. While granulocytopenia, either secondary to marrow replacement or to chemotherapy, contributes to this defect, the possibility of a kinetic abnormality has not been investigated. Accordingly, the present study was undertaken to examine granulocyte kinetics in acute leukemia using diisopropylfluorophosphate (DF32P) as the granulocyte label.7