A Study of Antioxidant Levels in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus

A case control study was undertaken in a tertiary medical care hospital to find out the antioxidant status in patients with diabetes mellitus compared to normal healthy subjects, significance of estimation of serum vitamin C and vitamin E levels as indicators of antioxidant status and development of diabetic complications due to their deficiency. Out of total 60 subjects, 30 healthy individuals were taken as control group and 30 cases of diabetic patients with and without complications were taken as test group. The fasting plasma glucose (FPG), Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Serum total cholesterol, serum triglyceride (TGL), and serum high density lipoprotein (HDL) were estimated by colorimetric methods. The mean serum FPG, vitamin C and vitamin E level in control group and the test group were found to be 81.57±11.61mg% and 193.43±52.39 mg%; 1.388±1.46mg% and 0.106±0.103mg%; 1.62±1.429mg% and 0.424±0.893 mg% respectively with a significance of P<0.001. Serum total cholesterol and triglyceride levels were found to be increased and serum HDL was found to be decreased in both complicated and non-complicated diabetes mellitus as compared to control subjects with a significance of P<0.001.The level of antioxidants (vitamin C and vitamin E) is decreased in diabetes mellitus which is more in case of diabetes with complications. Antioxidant status can be used as an indicator of severity complication and duration of diabetes mellitus.