The effect of DPT inoculation on the hormonal control of glucose homeostatis in children recovered from malnutrition

The effect of a controlled stress (DPT inoculation) on the hormonal control of glucose homeostasis was investigated in children nutritionally rehabilitated from severe malnutrition. The age range of the 15 children studied was 6-26 months. Plasma insulin (INS), growth hormone (GH) and interleukin-1 (IL-1) were measured by radioimmunoassay; plasma glucose (GLU) by a glucoseoxidase method; and red cell insulin binding (%SB) was determined, using A-14 monoiodinated insulin. Measurements were made on two occasions: (T-O) at 10 a.m.,12 hr before DPT inoculation, and (T-36) 36 hr. after inoculation. On both occasions, 4 hr post-prandial blood samples were used, and the mean body temperature(T) on the day of the test was determined. Red cell insulin binding (%SB) was significantly higher at T-36 than at T-O (16.8 ñ 1.7 vs 12.1 ñ 1.2 (14), p=0.005). (Results were expressed as mean ñ SEM, numbers of paired observations in parentheses). The higher %SB after DPT was accompanied by an increase in the number of receptor sites (S) (29.05 ñ 6.5 vs 15.6 ñ 2.5 (14),p=0.025). However, insulin receptor affinity (K x 10(9)M(-1)) was decreased 0.7 ñ 0.1 vs 1.5 ñ 0.3(14), p=0.008). There were no significant differences in the plasma levels of insulin, glucose and interleukin-1, but plasma growth hormone (*U/ml) was increased after DPT, (18.0 ñ 3.0 vs 11.5 ñ 1.2 (13), p=0.04). Body temperature (-C) was also significantly increased after DPT,(99.9 ñ 0.4 vs 98.3 ñ 0.2(14), p=0.006). The change in plasma glucose from T-O to T-36 tended to be associated with both a change in plasma insulin (p=0.06) and plasma growth hormone (p=0.07). Increased insulin binding, as one index of increased insulin sensitivity during fever, can contribute to a reductionin blood glucose. However, the elevation in plasma growth hormone cold buffer the hypoglycaemic effect of insulin, and help to maintain glucose homeostasis

Febrile response in malnutrition

The febrile response to a standard dose of triple (DPT) vaccine was assessed in sixteen malnourished children before and after recovery. The increase in temperature was significantly lower in the malnourished children (p < 0.005)

Plasma thiocyanate and free radicals in jaaraparesis

Tropical Spastic Paraparesis (TSP) in West African contries is countries is caused by combination of excess cyanide from the ingestion of Cassava and a deficiency of the sulphur-containing amino-acids required to detosify the cyanide. Free radical damage to long axons has also been reported to results in damage similar to that seen in Jamaican TSP. To investigate the possibility that these mechanisms may be responsible for Jamican TSP, venous blood from non-smoking blood donors and 22 patients with TSP were analysed for thiocyanate, superoxide dismutase and glutahione. Serum thiocyanate is an index of cyanide exposure. Superoxide dismutase protects against free radical damage, and glutathione in addition to rotecting against free radical damage is ana important sulphur-containing peptiae. Levels of thiocyanate in the patients with TSP were similar to those in control patients. Glutathione was elevated in all the patients, and superoxide dimutase activity was normal. The low levels of thiocyanate suggest that cyanide toxicity is not the primary cause of Jamaican TSP and, in any event, sufficient amounts of sulphur-containing amino-acids are present to detoxify cyanide. Free radical mechanisms ara also unlikely to be responsible for damage to the neurons in thes patients