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. 2012 Apr;4(4):180-4.
doi: 10.4103/1947-2714.94944.

Evaluation of TNF-α and IL-6 Levels in Obese and Non-obese Diabetics: Pre- and Postinsulin Effects

Rajeev Goyal  1 , Abul Faiz Faizy, Sheelu S Siddiqui, Monil Singhai
Affiliations

Evaluation of TNF-α and IL-6 Levels in Obese and Non-obese Diabetics: Pre- and Postinsulin Effects

Rajeev Goyal et al. N Am J Med Sci. 2012 Apr.

Abstract

Background: Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) mellitus is a serious implication of obesity. The effect of insulin therapy on levels of inflammatory markers among obese and non-obese diabetics has been inadequately studied.

Aim: The study aimed to analyze the preinsulin and postinsulin levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) and IL-6 in nonobese and obese T2DM patients.

Materials and methods: We assessed TNF-α and IL-6 levels in healthy controls (n=10) and diabetic patients (obese and nonobese; n=20 each) and analyzed the postinsulin effect on TNF-α and IL-6 levels after 24 and 48 weeks. TNF-α and IL-6 levels were also correlated with fasting plasma glucose of obese and nonobese diabetic patients after insulin therapy.

Results: There is augmentation of TNF-α and IL-6 levels in diabetic patients and augmentation is more in obese than in nonobese diabetics. The obese group showed a significant decrease (P value<0.05) after 24 weeks of insulin therapy and an extremely significant decrease (P<0.001) in TNF-α and IL-6 levels after 48 weeks of therapy. The nonobese group showed an extremely significant decrease (P<0.001) in TNF-α and IL-6levels after 24 and 48 weeks both.

Conclusion: There is augmented inflammation in diabetes and it is more in obese diabetics. Insulin therapy tends to counter this inflammation, but the response is delayed in obese diabetics.

Keywords: Diabetes; Inflammation; Obesity.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1(a-d)
Figure 1(a-d)
Postinsulin TNF-α (pg/ml) and IL-6 (pg/ml) correlation with FPG (mg/dl) in nonobese diabetics (detailed description in text)
Figure 2(a-d)
Figure 2(a-d)
Postinsulin TNF-α (pg/ml) and IL-6 (pg/ml) correlation with FPG (mg/dl) in obese diabetics (detailed description in text)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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