Assessment of Neutrophil Function in Patients with Septic Shock: Comparison of Methods

Patients with septic shock are shown to have decreased neutrophil phagocytic function by multiple assays, and their assessment by whole-blood assays (fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis) correlates with assays requiring isolated neutrophils (microscopic and spectrophotometric assays). For patients with similar underlying conditions but without septic shock, this correlation does not occur.