SummaryIn order to verify whether leukocyte aggregation correlated with aggregation of other cellular elements during inflammation, we examined the state of leukocyte adhesiveness/aggregation (LAA) in the peripheral blood and red cell aggregation. Correlation was found to be significant as was the correlation between LA A and fibrinogen, and with the fibrin/fibrinogen degradation products concentration during various inflammatory states. In vitro leukocyte aggregation was decreased when the cells were suspended in autologous heat defibrinogenated plasma as compared to cells suspended in autologous native plasma. Heat aggregated fibrinogen but not native fibrinogen caused leukocyte aggregation in vitro. Finally, Arvin defibrinogenation in rabbits reduced the state of LAA in endotoxinemic rabbits. Integrating all this information, we assume that fibrinogen participates not only in the aggregation phenomena of red cells and platelets, but also in those of leukocytes.

A patient with ulcerative colitis developed eosinophilic pneumonia, sinus tachycardia, skin rashes, headache and insomnia following treatment with Salazopyrin. The pneumonia as well as the other side effects resolved spontaneously following discontinuation of the drug and reappeared when Salazopyrin was readministered

Monoclonal IgG components were found in the serum of 5 of 40 patients with chronic myelocytic leukemia (12.5%), as well as in 2 of 15 patients with acute myelocytic leukemia (13.3%). These findings may represent an involvement of the lymphoplasmacytic system in myeloproliferative disorders. The significance of this association is discussed.

No abstract