[Erythrocyte metabolism in type I diabetes mellitus (key enzymes of glycolysis)].

The three important key-enzymes HK, PFK, PK may be influenced by insulin. We have, therefore, measured these enzyme activities in the erythrocytes in a total of 119 childrens suffering from juvenile diabetes type I, 44 of them with a good state of metabolic control and 75 with a bad control. In both groups the activities of the three enzymes were not significantly different. Compared with the reference values, PFK and PK, were mild diminished, HK slowly elevated in both groups of diabetics. We don't find remarkable changes which could be responsible for a shortened red cell life span. The mechanism of hemolysis in diabetics is probably caused by oxidant damage to the membrane.