[Relative insulin deficiency as a primary factor in pathogenesis of spontaneous diabetes mellitus]

The presence at the early stages of diabetes mellitus of relative, not of absolute insulin deficiency was demonstrated. Relative insulin deficiency was caused by reduction of tissue sensitivity to insulin demonstrable in patients with latent and manifest diabetes mellitus both with normal body weight and with adiposity. Reduction of tissue sensitivity serves as the primary factor in the pathologenesis of spontaneous diabetes mellitus.