In this study membrane lipid peroxidation in erythrocytes cf
fifteen diabetic patients and its correlation with plasma glucose was
studied. Diabetic patients were eight males and seven females.
Their ages ranged 20-45 , with a mean value of 30 ± 3.5 years. All
patients in this study were insulin dependent diabetics, except 2 who
had non insulin dependent diabetes. Another fifteen healthy
subjects volunteered as controls. Their ages ranged 23-46, with a
mean value of 29± 4.1 years. Lipid peroxidation was estimated by
quantitating malondiaidehyde (MDA), an end product of lipid
peroxidation. Erythrocytes of diabetics showed a significantly
higher (P<0.05) malondialdehyde level compared with non diabetic
erythrocytes. The degree of membrane lipid peroxidation in
erythrocytes was significantly correlated with the level of
glycosylated hemoglobin. ( r = 0.81, Pc 0.05). This suggests that
peroxidation of membrane lipids and accumulation of MDA occurs
in erythrocytes of diabetic patients. |
