ascorbic-acid and Skin-Diseases--Infectious

Ten patients with neutrophil dysfunctions and recurrent pyogenic infections, mainly of the skin middle-ear, and respiratory tract, are described. The most frequently affected functions were chemotaxis and bacterial killing. Pharmacologic restoration of functional defects was tried in all cases. Levamisole was given in two cases and ascorbic acid in the other eight cases. During a follow up of at least 18 months, seven patients showed a complete restoration of neutrophil function and a long-lasting clinical remission. One of the two patients with Chronic Granulomatous Disease has been free from infections for 1 year, despite persistent neutrophil dysfunction, while the other did not display consistent clinical improvement. Another patient, who was given ascorbic acid for a short period only due to non compliance, showed neither laboratory nor clinical improvement.

Topics: Ascorbic Acid; Bacterial Infections; Chemotaxis, Leukocyte; Child; Child, Preschool; Cytotoxicity, Immunologic; Female; Humans; In Vitro Techniques; Infant; Levamisole; Male; Neutrophils; Otitis Media; Phagocytosis; Respiratory Tract Diseases; Skin Diseases, Infectious

Neutrophil function was studied in several patients with recurrent infections, mainly of the skin. Twelve patients showed impairment of neutrophil functions, either chemotaxis or bacterial killing and phagocytosis. Levamisole was given in four cases: improvement of neutrophil function and long-lasting clinical remission occurred in three of them, whilst in the fourth the drug was not tolerated. Ascorbic acid was administered to three other patients, with satisfactory improvement of neutrophil function and long-lasting clinical remission.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Ascorbic Acid; Chemotaxis, Leukocyte; Child; Child, Preschool; Female; Humans; Infant; Levamisole; Male; Middle Aged; Neutrophils; Phagocytosis; Recurrence; Skin Diseases, Infectious

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Ascorbic Acid; Bandages; Female; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neomycin; Skin Diseases, Infectious; Surgical Wound Infection; Vitamin A