RESUMO
Background: Alpha defensins were known to have broad spectrum potent antimicrobial activities
Objectives: To evaluate plasma alpha-defensin 1- 3 levels in smoker and non-smoker male patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus [T2DM]
Methodology: The subjects included 50 consecutive current smoker men with T2DM attending the outpatient clinic, Zagazig University Hospitals [Egypt], matched for age and diabetes duration with 50 consecutive non-smoker men with T2DM and 100 healthy men [50 smokers; 50 non-smokers]. Associations between a-defensin plasma levels and characteristics of participants were evaluated
Results: Plasma levels of a-defensins were significantly higher in smokers compared with non-smokers in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects [P<0.001 for all comparisons]. Ten characteristics of participants that significantly correlated with a-defensinswere further analyzed using stepwise multiple linear regression. The final model included four variables explaining 47.0% of the variation in a-defensin level. Presence of diabetes alone accounted for 32.6% of the variation. However, 40.1% of the variation in a-defensins could be explained by including current smoking
Conclusion: Plasma a-defensin 1-3 is elevated in patients with T2DM, and current smoking is combined with a further elevation. Given the known association between a-defensin and serious complications of diabetes, results of the current study should have important clinical implications in the management of patients with T2DM who smoke or think about smoking