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Toxic granulation neutrophils (TGNs), which have prominent azurophilic cytoplasmic granules in blood smears stained by the Wright or May-Grünwald-Giemsa technique, appear in blood when inflammation occurs. Chemotaxis, migration, phagocytosis, bactericidal activity, and the density of surface IgG–Fc receptor III are decreased in TGNs,¹ but myeloperoxidase activity and nitroblue tetrazolium reduction activity are increased.² On the other hand, serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) are also increased in inflammation; CRP has an opsonic effect on phagocytosis of bacteria.³ Furthermore, toxic signs of neutrophils, such as toxic granules, Dohle bodies, and cytoplasmic vacuoles, occur in infectious diseases with high levels of CRP.⁴ However, there have been no reports examining the quantitative correlation between the percentage of TGNs and the concentrations of CRP.

In this study, I examined the relationship between the serum levels of CRP and the percentage of TGNs in 219 patients with inflammatory diseases. Serum concentrations of CRP were measured . . . [Full Text of this Article]