Chronic granulomatous disease refers to a group of inherited disorders characterized by a deficit in phagocytic-cell oxidative metabolism, resulting in recurrent pyogenic infections due to defective intracellular killing of microorganisms.1 Granulomas form in various organs or tissues, presumably in an attempt to "wall off" the infection, and these can be a major cause of morbidity when vital structures are obstructed or compromised. Cultures of the granulomas are usually negative, although antibiotics have been advocated in the treatment of this complication. Recently, three patients with chronic granulomatous disease-two with gastrointestinal and genitourinary involvement2 and one with pulmonary involvement3—were treated with corticosteroids, which resulted in an amelioration of symptoms.
Treatment of patients with chronic granulomatous disease with recombinant human interferon-gamma does not improve neutrophil oxidative metabolism, cytochrome b558 content or levels of four anti-microbial proteins
