Azathioprin effect on immunologic parameters of patients with newly detected insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

Azathioprin immunosuppressive therapy prolongs remissions and stimulates residual p-cell function, suppresses insulin antibody production, reduces the activity of the complement and CH50 components, reduces initially increased cellular immunity parameters (total T and В cell counts, T helper to T inductor ratio, and the count of DR carrier cells) in patients with newly detected insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus; this makes this drug effective at the firts stages of the disease. When selecting patients for immunosuppressive therapy the following immunity parameters should be examined: complement status, total counts of T and В lymphocytes, T-helper-in- ductor/T-suppressor-cytotoxic immunoregulation index, DR carrier cell counts. Reduced levels thereof are a contraindication against immunosuppressant therapy. Male patients with insulindependent diabetes mellitus debut at the age of over 25 are particularly susceptible to immunosuppressive therapy with azathioprin.