Transcapillary colloid osmotic gradient, plasma volume and interstitial fluid volume in long-term Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetes

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Abstract
Plasma and subcutaneous colloid osmotic pressure, transcapillary escape rate of albumin, plasma volume and extracellular fluid volume were measured in 10 long-term Type 1 (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients without clinical nephropathy. Interstitial colloid osmotic pressure was reduced compared with normal subjects (12.9±3.0 versus 15.8±2.7 mmHg, pp< 0.01). Plasma volume was in the normal range and interstitial fluid volume increased by approximately 21% compared with normal subjects (pp< 0.01). A negative correlation was found between the transcapillary colloid osmotic gradient and interstitial fluid volume (r=0.6, 0.01<p<0.05). These results suggest that the increased small vessel permeability in long-term diabetes leads to wash-out of interstitial proteins and the resulting increased transcapillary colloid osmotic gradient tends to preserve the plasma volume and to limit the tendency to increased interstitial fluid volume.