Plasma Alpha–Tocopherol and Malondialdehyde Concentrations in Type 2 Diabetic Patients
Likidlilid A1, Patchanans N1, Somkasetrin A1, Peerapatdit T2, Srivatanasathavorn C3
Affiliation : 1Department of Biochemistry, 2Department of Medicine, 3Her Majesty’s Cardiac Center, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand.
Background and Aims. Oxidative stress is considered to be a unifying link between diabetes mellitus (DM)
and its complications, including retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, and accelerated coronary artery
disease. Plasma antioxidant level may be affected by this hyperglycemia-induced oxidative stress and cause
the increased production of oxidative parameters including malondialdehyde (MDA). In the present study, the
plasma MDA and a-tocopherol in fairly controlled Type 2 DM ( fasting plasma glucose [FPG] < 180 mg/dl )
or Tyoe 2 DM complicated with coronary artery disease ( CHD ) and poorly controlled Type 2 DM ( FPG >180
mg/dl ) were investigated.
Materials and Methods. A total of 65 Type 2 DM patients were subdivided into those with 26 fairly controlled,
19 poorly controlled and 20 Type 2 DM complicated with CHD. Plasma a-tocopherol, lipid profiles and MDA
concentrations were estimated in all patients and in 20 nondiabetic healthy persons which FPG < 110 mg/dl.
In all groups of DM, their results were compared with a control group by one-way ANOVA test.
Results. The plasma MDA levels were significantly increased in all groups of Type 2 DM as compared to
controls, ( p < 0.05 ). No significant difference of MDA level within groups of DM was found. Significantly
decreased plasma a - tocopherol, a- tocopherol/total cholesterol and a-tocopherol/total lipid levels were
found only in Type 2 DM complicated with CHD as compared to controls, (p < 0.001) and also showed
significant difference when compared to fairly controlled and poorly controlled type 2 DM (p< 0.001).
However, no significant difference of these a - tocopherol parameters was found in fairly controlled and poorly
controlled Type 2 DM as compared to controls (p > 0.05)
Conclusion. Results of the present study indicate that oxidative stress is increased and antioxidant defenses
are compromised in Type 2 DM. These derangements are of a higher magnitude in patients of Type 2 DM with
CHD. From this study, we conclude that antioxidant treatment may attenuate the hyperglycemia – induced
oxidative stress to prevent cardiovascular complications in type 2 diabetic patients.
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