Diabetes mellitus and impairment of intestinal barier function

Introduction: Impairment of intestinal barrier function is involved in pathogenesis of immune mediated diseases (such as type 1 diabetes mellitus or celiac disease) and metabolic diseases (such as type 2 diabetes mellitus). Aims of study: The first aim was to analyze impairment of mucosal part of intestinal barrier in both type of diabetes and to describe differences when compared to celiac disease, which is a typical condition associated with impairment of intestinal barrier function. The second aim was to find a correlation between duration or compensation of diabetes and intestinal barrier desintegration in patients with both type of diabetes, and to find a correlation between body mass index and intestinal barrier desintegration in patients with type 2 diabetes. The third aim was to assess influence of gluten-free diet on improvement of small intestinal mucosal integrity in patient with celiac disease. Methods: The study was performed on 166 individuals including healthy controls and five group of patients with: type 1 diabetes mellitus with fading insulitis (T1D), type 1 diabetes mellitus with ongoing insulitus (T1D/INS), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D), untreated celiac disease (CLD), and celiac disease on gluten-free diet (CLD-GFD). We tested the marker of epithelial apoptosis - cytokeratin 18..