[Granulocyte defence against bacterial infection in diabetes mellitus with special reference to bactericidal activity].

Granulocytic defence against bacterial infection has been studied in a group of diabetic patients. With the skin chamber method markedly reduced leukocyte mobilization in vivo which was independent of metabolic compensation was found in all diabetic patients. Investigation of phagocytic function of Latex particles and bacterial killing of E. coli revealed firm dependence on metabolic regulation: in decompensated diabetes mellitus the two function tests were clearly pathological, whereas in the compensated metabolism there was no difference between normal individuals and diabetics. Thus, on granulocytic defence pathway analysis, this appears to confirm that reduction of infection depends on how diabetes is controlled.