Nasir Mahmood, Naseer Ahmad, Muzaffar Jalal Khan Niazi.
Diabetes Mellitus; Interferon-b involvement in the onset.
Professional Med J Jan ;12(1):40-3.

A number of cytokines have been shown to alter the function of pancreatic (3-cells and thus might be involved in the development of type I diabetes. Objectives: To study whether interferon IFN alters cell function in vivo and leads to diabetes. Patients & Methods: We have studied three groups of patients (group I, 20-35, group II, 35-50 and group III, 50-70 years age) taking 1i-interferon after chronic liver infection due to hepatitis. Results: 80 % patients in group II and 90 % group III patients particularly showed higher level of blood glucose. However, only 30 % patients in group I exhibited abnormal level of blood glucose. 20 % patients of group I and 30 patients in group II also represented higher level of alanine amino transferase (ALT). Conclusions: These results suggest that IFN-beta may be involved in the onset of type 1 diabetes and elevated serum alanine amino transferase (ALT) level.

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