The effect of diabetes mellitus on chemotactic and bactericidal activity of human polymorphonuclear leukocytes

We studied the bactericidal activity (against P. aeruginosa) and chemotactic ability of polymorphonuclear leukocytes from 26 diabetic patients in three treatment groups (oral hypoglycemic, daily insulin, and continuous insulin infusion). Patients were studied before entry into intensified management protocols, and after intensified management in 11 of the 26 patients. Diabetic serum had a persistent inhibitory effect on both diabetic and normal white cells, but normal serum was unable to fully correct diabetic white cell killing to control values. After intensified management of diabetes, there was an improvement in bactericidal function of diabetic patient white cells, but not in the effect of diabetic serum. Diabetic serum, and to a lesser extent diabetic white blood cells, are defective mediators of killing of P. aeruginosa. Chemotaxis was normal in all patient groups. These findings confirm the earlier work of others showing that some patients with diabetes mellitus have a defect in host defense against infection with bacteria.