NITROBLUE TETRAZOLIUM TEST AS AN ASSAY OF NEUTROPHIL FUNCTION IN DIABETES MELLITUS

Nitroblue Tetrazolium Test Is One Of The Simplest And Cost-Effective Methods In The Assessment Of Neutrophil Bactericidal Function. This Has Also Been Used As A Method Of Early Diagnosis In Bacterial Infection. Neutrophilic Leucocytosis Is Considered As An Indirect Evidence Of Acute Inflammation And Acute Infections Though It Is Seen In Several Other Conditions. To Combat Any Infectious Process, Apart From The Rise In Leucocyte Counts, A Normal Neutrophil Function Is Also Essential. Patients With A Neutrophilic Response On Exposure To Infectious Agents Need Not Necessarily Possess Normal Neutrophil Functions Like Chemotaxis, Phagocytosis, Killing And Degradation. Diabetes Mellitus Is A Common Disease In Which Neutrophil Functions Are Altered 1,2,3 A Battery Of Tests Are Available To Assess Neutrophil Functions Which Include NBT Test, Flow Cytometry, Spectrophotometric Assays, Chemotaxis Assays, Superoxide Assays And Immunoblotting4 Which Though Accurate Require Expertise And Monetary Consideration While The NBT Test Is Inexpensive And Technically Less Demanding . This Prospective Study Focuses On The Utility Of NBT Test To Study Neutrophil Function In Diabetics And To Reiterate Its Role As A Supplement In The Diagnosis Of Bacterial Infections.