Lower serum level of anti-tetanus toxin antibodies in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the serum levels of anti-tetanus toxin antibodies (anti-TTA) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and in a control group.


METHODS
Totally, 100 patients with type 2 DM and 100 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals were enrolled to study. The presence of type 2 DM confirmed according to the clinical and para-clinical criteria such as fasting plasma glucose above 126 mg/dl. A peripheral blood sample was collected from all subjects. The serum samples of participants tested for the levels of anti-TTA by ELISA method. The serum antitoxin concentration 0.1 IU/mL was considered as a protective level of antibody.


RESULTS
The seroprotective rate in healthy group was significantly higher than diabetic group (99% vs. 92%; p<0.02). The mean titer of anti-TTA in healthy group (5.32 ± 0.26 IU/ml) was also significantly higher than diabetic patients (3.46 ± 0.26 IU/ml; p>0.001). In diabetic men the mean titer of anti-TTA was significantly higher in comparison to diabetic women (3.94 ± 0.34 IU/ml vs 2.59 ± 0.36 IU/ml; p<0.01). In diabetic patients the seroprotective rate and the mean titer of anti-TTA in subjects with age >40 years was also lower in comparison to those with age <40 years (89.23% vs 97.14%; p<0.15 and 4.57 ± 0.38 IU/ml vs 2.86 ± 0.32 IU/ml; P<0.002, respectively). The mean titer of anti-TTA was significantly higher in patients with diabetes duration <5 years in comparison to patients with disease duration >5 years (3.91 ± 0.35 IU/ml vs 2.85 ± 0.38 IU/ml; p<0.04).


CONCLUSIONS
these results showed lower levels of anti-TTA in patients with type 2 DM, in diabetic women, in patients aged >40 years and in diabetic patients with disease duration >5 years.
Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical School, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
M
M
Nemati
M
M
Zarrin
S A
SA
Mir-Abdollah
M T
MT
Rezayati
V
V
Mirzaee
A
A
Bagheri
M
M
Ebrahimi
A
A
Jafarzadeh
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial / Q000097:blood*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000276:immunology*; D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D012737:Sex Factors; D013742:Tetanus / Q000517:prevention & control; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult
D000907:Antibodies, Bacterial; D015721:Diphtheria-Tetanus-Pertussis Vaccine