Neutrophil phagocytic function in uncomplicated diabetes mellitus patients of African origin as seen at Kenyatta National Hospital

Abstract

This was a comparative study carried out over a six months period with an aim of determining the neutrophil phagocytic function in uncomplicated diabetes mellitus patients and in non-diabetic patients (control group) as seen at Kenyatta National Hospital. A total of 80 subjects were studied. Of these 40 were diabetics (cases) and 40 were controls (non-diabetics). Of the 40 diabetics, 26 were males and 14 were females. The cases were matched with the controls sex, and age ± 3 years. The result showed that there was a significant impairment in the neutrophil phagocytic function in the diabetics compared with the non diabetics. Comparatively more neutrophils from non diabetics ingested yeasts than neutrophils from diabetics. There was a higher number of neutrophils that ingested a given number of yeasts when the controls and cases were compared. There was no significant linear correlation between the phagocytic function and the glycaemic control as measured by glycosylated hemoglobin