Impaired anti-microbial function of leukocytes from patients with type 1 diabetes Mellitus

ABSTRACT

Twenty patients with non-ketoacidotic and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus with adequate glycemic control were selected for this study in addition to ten age and sex ratio matched healthy control subjects without family history of diabetes mellitus. No one of the patients or controls had any evidence of cardiac, liver, renal or infectious disease. Complete blood count [CBC], oral glucose tolerance test [OGTT], determination of glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1], fasting insulin, proinsulin and the sum of -30-60 minute incremental insulin response to OGTT were conducted for the total cohort. Neutrophils [PMNs] of all patients and controls were prepared in cell suspension samples and subjected for in vitro assessment of their chemotactic migration and phagocytic functions using the agarose plate technique and Candida albicans suspension. The results showed that the mean [SD] chemotactic and phagocytic indices [CI and PI] of PMNs from the insulin dependent diabetic group were significantly decreased compared with controls. Both indices did not show any significant correlation with either blood glucose levels or Hb Al- levels. The results of CHC showed a significant total leukocytosis and neutrophilia in the diabetic group compared with controls