ABSTRACT
Increased oxidative stress and impaired antioxidant defense have been implicated in the pathogenesis of type I diabetes mellitus [IDDM] and in the development of its acute and chronic complications. to studty the levels of reduced co-enzyme Q[10] [Co-Q[10]]H[2], oxidized co-enzyme Q[10] [Co-Q[10]], total co-enzyme Q[10] [TCo-Q[10]] and alpha-tocopherol, in children with uncomplicated IDDM. 20 children with uncomplicated IDDM and 10 controls. In cases ages ranged between [7 - 20 years], 9 were males and 11 were females. High performance liquid chromatography [HPLC] methods were used for simultaneous detection of oxidized co-enzyme Q[10] [Co-Q[10]] and alpha-tocopherol in human plasma with ultraviolet [UV] detector, and for estimation of reduced co-enzyme Q[10] [Co-Q[10]H[2]] using per-column reduction with electrochemical detector [ECD]. There was a significant decrease of Co-Q[10]H[2] /TCo-Q[10] percentage in IDDM children compared to controls. There was a significant increase of Co-Q[10] / TCo-Q[10] percentage and alpha-tocopherol in IDDM group compared to controls. There was no significant difference in the level of Co-Q[10]H[2] and TCo-Q[10] in IDDM group compared to controls. No significant correlation has been found between TCo-Q[10] and alpha-tocopherol versus glycosylated Hb [Hb A[IC]%. There is increased oxidative stress in children with uncomplicated IDDM as shown by the decreased Co-Q[10]H[2]/ TCo-Q[10] percentage and the increased Co-Q[10] / TCo-Q[10] percentage. Not all 'antioxidant parameters are decreased in children with uncomplicated IDDM as shown by the increased level of alpha-tocopherol which may be regarded as an adaptation of the antioxidant defense system to chronic oxidative stress. Estimation of Co-Q[10]H[2]/ TCo-Q[10] percentage as index of oxidative stress using the above HPLC methodology has a useful clinical application