Abstract
Neutrophils have been implicated in the development of vascular disease, and increased plasma neutrophil elastase indicates increased neutrophil activation. The aim of this study was to determine whether neutrophil elastase levels, measured by radioimmunoassay, are altered in diabetes. One hundred Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients and 35 comparably-aged control subjects were studied. There was no difference in the total white cell count, but the diabetic group had a higher neutrophil count (p < 0.05). Plasma neutrophil elastase (p < 0.001) and total neutrophil elastase (p < 0.02) were increased in the diabetic group. The total neutrophil elastase levels reflected the neutrophil count, but plasma neutrophil elastase was independent of the number of neutrophils. The increased plasma neutrophil elastase level was not related to age, duration of diabetes, plasma glucose or HbA1. The results suggest an association between diabetes and neutrophil activation which may play a role in the development of vascular disease.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 135-138 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | Diabetes Research |
| Volume | 10 |
| Issue number | 3 |
| Publication status | Published - 1989 |
| Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Endocrinology
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
- Internal Medicine
