OBJECTIVETo study the function of pancreatic islet beta cells, insulin resistance (IR) and features of TCM symptoms and syndromes in the non-diabetic first-grade relatives (ND1GR) of patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM2).

METHODSA total of 68 ND1GR of DM2 patients were enrolled in the observed group and 45 healthy subjects with matched sex, age and body mass index (BMI) but without family history of DM were selected into the control group. Levels of fasting blood glucose (FBG), 2 hrs postprandial glucose (2hPG), fasting insulin (FINS) and 2 hrs postprandial insulin (2h INS) in all the subjects were measured to calculate and compare the IR and beta-cell function of the homeostatic model analog (HOMA-IR and HOMA-beta), and the insulin sensitive index (ISI). Moreover, the symptoms manifested in the ND1GR were also observed to analyze the features in them.

RESULTSFBG and FINS were obviously higher in the observed group than those in the control group (P < 0.01), while no significant difference was found in 2hPG or 2h INS (P > 0.05). HOMA-IR and HOMA-beta were significantly higher (P < 0.05) and ISI were significantly lower (P < 0.01) in the observed group than those in the control group. Compared with the control group, the main symptoms such as dark purplish tongue, listlessness, thready and thin pulse, lassitude in loin and legs in the observed group were seen more frequently. In the observed group syndrome of deficiency of Qi and Yin accounted for 51.47%, syndrome of deficiency of Yin for 30.88%, subjects with syndrome of blood stasis as the main accompanying syndrome accounts for 61.76%.

CONCLUSIONHigher beta cell secretion function and lower insulin sensitivity appear in ND1GR of DM2 patients, suggesting the existence of insulin resistance. The feature of TCM syndrome in them is characterized by deficiency of Qi and Yin with inner obstruction of blood stasis.