Granulocyte Adherence Changes Induced by Hemodialysis, Endotoxin, Epinephrine, and Glucocorticoids

Abstract

Granulocyte adherence was studied in several situations of altered granulocyte kinetics. During the transient granulocytopenia of hemodialysis, adherence increased to 481.7% of baseline by 15 min and was normal by 60 min. One hour after endotoxin administration, adherence was 160.5% of control as granulocyte counts fell to 21.4%; conversely, the 24-h postdose granulocytosis was associated with a 43.0% decrease in adherence. Epinephrine produced a 25.8% decrease in adherence, with demargination granulocytosis 146.1% of control period. Alternate-day prednisone administration inhibited adherence by 38.9% on the "on" day, concomitant with prolonged granulocyte intravascular half-life, but adherence returned to normal on the "off" day when intravascular half-life is normal. In each situation, a plasma factor not present in serum was responsible for the modified adherence; if these factors produce the same adherence changes in vivo, they may be responsible for the alterations noted in granulocyte kinetics.