This study is designed to investigate serum concentrations of IL-1β, IL-2, IL-6 and TNF-α in normal and IDDM children and to find their correlation to severity and duration of IDDM. The study population consisted of 40 children with IDDM and 15 healthy controls. Children with IDDM were divided into three subgroups: previously diagnosed patients (long standing IDDM) (n:15), newly diagnosed patients with diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) (before treatment) (n:15), and newly diagnosed patients with DKA(after treatment) (n:10). In all stages of diabetes higher levels of IL-1β, TNF- α, IL-2 and IL-6 were detected.