ATTENUATED NEUTROPHIL RESPIRATORY BURST FOLLOWING ACUTE HYPOGLYCEMIA IN DIABETIC-PATIENTS AND NORMAL SUBJECTS

The effects of insulin-induced hypoglycaemia on the neutrophil respira tory burst were investigated in six patients with type 1 diabetes and six non-diabetic control subjects. Plasma glucose reached similar nadi rs in control subjects (0,9 +/- 0. 1 mmol l(-1); mean+/-SEM) and diabe tic patients (1.2 +/- 0.2 mmol l(-1)) (NS). The resting neutrophil res piratory burst was similar in control subjects (1.26 +/- 0.15 mV) and diabetic patients (1.03 +/- 0.18 mV) (NS). The neutrophil respiratory burst fell following hypoglycaemia in control subjects and diabetic pa tients to 0.38 +/- 0.05 mV (P < 0.001) and 0.54 +/- 0.09 mV (P < 0.05) , respectively. This fall was significantly greater in control subject s (ANOVA; P < 0.001). Resting neutrophil counts were not significantly different in control subjects (3.2 +/- 0.3 x 10(9) l(-1)) and diabeti c patients (6.1 +/- 1.5 x 10(9) l(-1)). Following hypoglycaemia, neutr ophil numbers increased in control subjects and diabetic patients to 1 1.5 +/- 1.4 x 10(9) l(-1) (P < 0.01) and 9.7 +/- 1.7 x 10(9) l(-1) (P < 0.05), respectively. This increase was significantly greater in cont rol subjects (ANOVA; P < 0.001). These results suggest that the neutro phil respiratory burst is suppressed in response to hypoglycaemia and that this phenomenon is more pronounced in non-diabetic subjects.