The influence of amyloid deposits on the islet volume in maturity onset diabetes mellitus

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Abstract
Pancreatic islet volumes of patients with and without maturity onset diabetes mellitus were estimated. The islet volume of the diabetic patients was 1.01±0.12 cm3 (SEM) and that of the nondiabetic patients 1.60±0.16 cm3 with considerable overlap between the two groups. Islet amyloidosis was found in all the diabetic and in 9 of the 15 nondiabetic patients. When the amyloid deposits were excluded, the islet volume of the diabetic patients was 0.89±0.10 cm3, while that of the non-diabetic patients was unchanged, 1.60±0.16 cm3. There was still some overlapping. Since amyloid deposits seem to destroy the B cell membranes, it was postulated that a comparison of the volumes of islets completely free of amyloid might give a more true picture of the quantitative islet alterations in maturity onset diabetes. It was found that this islet volume of the diabetics was only 0.41±0.05 cm3 and that of the nondiabetic patients 1.58±0.16 cm3. These values correspond better to the altered insulin secretion in maturity-onset diabetes mellitus.