The relationship between glycated hemoglobin and polymorphonuclear leukocyte leukotriene B4 release in people with diabetes mellitus

In order to evaluate polymorphonuclear leukocyte (PMN) activity in diabetes mellitus, leukotriene B4 (LTB4) levels were measured in sixty patients, 31 affected with Type 1 diabetes mellitus and 29 affected with Type 2 diabete s mellitus. The LTB4 levels (23.1 + 0.2 pg/100 mu l) in diabetic patients w ere higher compared to those of the control group (7.9 + 0.1 pg/100 mu l) ( P < 0.001), and remained significantly higher (P < 0.001) (12.8 + 0.2 pg/10 0 mu l) than in the control group (11.0 + 0.2 pg/100 mu l) after stimulatio n with calcium ionophore. A significant and positive correlation between gl ycated hemoglobin and LTB4 was demonstrated (P < 0.001, r = 0.80). This stu dy demonstrates that in diabetic patients there is a PMN activation and tha t this activation is correlated to glycated hemoglobin level. (C) 1999 Else vier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.