Aim: To study spontaneous chemotaxis-, phagocytosis-, and proteinkinase C-mediated respiratory splash (RS) of neutrophils and monocytes in colchicin-untreated patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF).
Material and methods: Of 17 FMF patients, 8 ones were examined during the attack, 9 patients--in fever-free period. Spontaneous and induced RS of peripheral blood neutrophils and monocytes was investigated with quantitative flow-cytofluorimetric method.
Results: Compared to healthy donors, RS is characterized with activation of both spontaneous and induced production of free radicals. The activity and intensity of the RS in FMF was low in the attack vs in the attack-free period but monocytes population has a stable high activity of the RS.
Conclusion: Activation of neutrophilic RS in FMF patients is characterized by periodicity the direction of which is opposite to induced monocyte activation in the attack and in attack-free interval.