Apoptosis and oxidative status in peripheral blood mononuclear cells of diabetic patients.

We have compared the concentrations of intracellular glutathione (GSH), glutathione-dependent antioxidative enzymes, the cell death rate and immunophenotype profile of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from healthy donors and from patients with insulin-dependent type II (NIDDM) diabetes mellitus. The IDDM and NIDDM patients had above-normal absolute lymphocyte counts, whereas the percentages of CD3, CD4 adn CD8 T lymphocytes were significantly reduced. In contrast, the absolute number and percentage of B lymphocytes was higher in diabetic patients than in healthy donors.

[Insulin treatment of Type II diabetes].

Secondary failure to oral hypoglycemic agents occurs in some 5% of type II diabetic patients per year, such that treatment with insulin becomes warranted. In most of the cases only hyperglycemia is apparent, while signs of severe metabolic derangement such as thirst, polyuria and weight loss are lacking. However, the hyperglycemic state adversely affects endogenous insulin secretion and favors the development of microvascular complications and neuropathy.

[Plasmapheresis therapy in Guillain-Barré polyneuroradiculitis].

The outcome of Guillain-Barré polyneuritis is not always benign. Since no therapy of proven effectiveness is available and an immunologic etiology is presumed, plasma exchange treatment has been repeatedly used. We report on three patients with severe polyneuritis who were unable to walk.