ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of intensive insulin therapy on serum immunoglobulin (Ig), complement levels and phagocytosis of monocytes in patients with severe trauma. METHODS: Severe injured patients with injury severity score (ISS)>20 in surgical intensive care unit (ICU) were randomly divided into two groups, intensive insulin therapy and conventional therapy. Blood glucose levels in intensive insulin therapy and conventional therapy groups were maintained at 4-6 mmol/L and <11.1 mmol/L, respectively. Blood samples were obtained on 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 days after admission. Dynamic changes of immunological parameters including serum IgA, IgG, IgM, complements (C3, C4) levels were determined in each group at various intervals following trauma. Phagocytosis of monocytes was also measured by use of phagotest kits after blood cells were incubated with fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled E. coli in a heated water bath at 37 centigrade. RESULTS: Serum IgA, IgG, IgM, C3 and C4 levels were low in two groups at admission, and elevated after treatment with recovery to normal range on 6-8 days. Serum C3 and C4 levels in intensive insulin therapy group were much lower than those in conventional therapy group (both P<0.05) with delayed recovery to normal range. There were no significant differences in serum IgA, IgG and IgM levels between two groups (all P>0.05). For the patients with intensive insulin therapy, phagocytosis of monocytes was markedly enhanced on 4 and 6 days compared with those at admission (both P<0.05), and E. coli-FITC positive rates were significantly higher than those with conventional therapy on 2, 4 and 6 days after admission (all P<0.05). CONCLUSION: Intensive insulin therapy can markedly improve immune function and enhance phagocytosis of monocytes, which might be used as one of effective methods to increase the host defense ability in traumatic patients.
