Neutrophil chemotaxis in sickle cell anaemia, sickle cell β° thalassemia, and after splenectomy

Abstract

Neutrophil chemotaxis was evaluated in 28 patients with sickle cell anemia, 10 patients with sickle cell β° thalassemia, 25 patients who had undergone splenectomy, and 38 controls. The mean distance migrated by patients' neutrophils was not significantly different from that of neutrophils from controls. Although several immunological variables have been reported to be changed after loss of splenic function, the authors were unable to show a defect in neutrophil chemotaxis that could account for the increased susceptibility to infection.