[Morphofunctional characteristics of neutrophils in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis].

AIM: To study morphofunctional status of neutrophilic polymorphonuclear leukocytes (NPNL) in patients with chronic autoimmune thyroiditis (CAIT).

MATERIAL AND

METHODS

The morphofunctional status of NPNL was investigated with vital computer phasic morphometry (CPM) in 25 patients (24 females and 1 male, mean age 45.4 +/- 3.2 years) with verified CAIT and 20 healthy females. Solid phase enzyme immunoassay examined the serum for IL-8 content.

RESULTS

CAIT patients have characteristic features of neutrophil morphofunctional state (changed cell size, disproportion in population morphological structure), IL-8 level was 13.9 fold higher than normal--63.8 pg/ml.

CONCLUSION

CAIT patients demonstrate activation of the mechanisms which regulate cell nonspecific resistence. As a result, locomotor, secretory and phagocytic NPNL functions enhance. Changes detected may reflect severity of the pathological process and indicate growing autoaggression in CAIT patients.