Potentialities of T-activin in the treatment of children with diabetes mellitus

Abstract

The effects of T-activin added to basic therapy of children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) on the blood serum lipid and phospholipid metabolism were studied in 30 patients aged 6 to 14 with the newly detected condition. Diabetes symptoms manifested 1 week to 3 months before the beginning of insulin therapy. The mean daily insulin dose in the decompensation phase was 0.82 U/kg b. w. The patients were divided into 2 groups: group 1 children were administered basic therapy (diet + insulin), vitamin В15, aevitum, lipamide, cholenzyme. Group 2 patients in addition to basic therapy were subcutaneously injected T-activin in a dose of 1.75 to 2 mg/kg b. w. once a day at 18 o’clock for 5 days. Lipid metabolism was studied by thin-layer chromatography. A combination of basic therapy with T-activin had a more favorable impact on the time course of cholesterolemia than a combination of basic therapy with lipotropic agents. Evidently, T-activin added to insulin therapy exerts hypocholesterolemic effects. Tactivin therapy brought about the normalization of the lipid and phospholipid spectrum of lymphocyte membranes and enriched them with nonesterified fatty acids, the source of synthesis of such bioactive substances as leukotrienes and prostaglandins. After therapy the dose of exogenous insulin was reliably reduced in both groups, this reduction being more expressed in group 2 (with T-activin) than in group 1. We believe that T-activin is conducive to better functioning of the insulin receptor of lymphocytes and consider prescription of T-activin to children with IDDM pathogenetically justified.