[Comparison of high-dose immunoglobulin and cyclosporine in newly diagnosed diabetic children].

A controlled trial was carried out on type I diabetic children to evaluate and to compare the clinical effects of two different kinds of immunotherapy: high doses intravenous gammaglobulin (IVIgG) and cyclosporine A (CyA). 30 newly diagnosed patients were admitted to the trial, 10 of whom served as controls (group A), 10 received 400 mg/kg b.w. of IVIgG on 5 consecutive alternate days and subsequently after 15 days and monthly thereafter for up to six months (group B), 10 patients received CyA 5-10/kg b.w. by mouth in two daily doses for a period comprised between 6 and 18 months (group C). Serum post-prandial C-peptide level was significantly higher after 6 months in group B and C than in group A; after 12 months, only group C showed significantly higher values. This difference was no longer significative at 18 and 24 months. Insulin requirement in the treated groups was significantly lower than in control group at 6 months, this difference was no longer significative at 12 months. We didn't find any difference concerning insulin requirement during the study comparing the two groups treated with the two different immunosuppressive therapies. In 3 patients in group B and in 3 patients in group C we didn't observe any appreciable response to immunosuppressive therapy (defined as insulin requirement greater than 0.5 UI/kg b.w. at 6 months and/or greater than 0.8 UI/kg b.w. at 12 months). We couldn't find any significant difference between responders and not responders to the immunosuppressive therapies regarding age, symptoms lasting before the diagnosis, weight loss, ketoacidosis intensity and serum post-prandial C-peptide level at the onset.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)