Defective function of blood granulocytes in patients with diabetes mellitus-associated marginal periodontitis.

In ten periodontitis patients suffering from type I diabetes mellitus, phagocytic activity, aggregation and chemiluminescence generation of blood granulocytes were determined. Compared to controls with clinically healthy periodontal conditions, the phagocytosis of zymosan particles and the aggregation response induced by the chemotactic peptide N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine were significantly decreased, whereas aggregation induced by the platelet-activating factor, a potent mediator of inflammation, was significantly enhanced.