Does insulin improve clinical status of patients with cystic-fibrosis-related diabetes mellitus?
Insulin, as an anabolic hormone, could have an influence on body mass, which may affect pulmonary function and clinical condition in cystic fibrosis. It is important to identify cystic fibrosis individuals at risk of developing diabetes so that early insulin therapy is instituted.
The -174 G>C SNP in the promoter region of the IL-6 gene is functional in vivo with an increased inflammatory response associated with the G allele. Considering the central role of IL-6 in a variety of major diseases, the present finding might be of major relevance.