effect of plasma thiamine deficiency on the antioxidant status of type 2 diabetics having diabetic nephropathy

ABSTRACT

To see the effects of plasma thiamine on the antioxidant status of the body by measuring plasma thiol levels in type 2 diabetic patients with diabetic nephropathy. Cross sectional comparative study. Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, from January 2009 to December 2010. The study included 80 participants, 20 were control and 60 were known diabetics who were inducted from various diabetic clinics of urban areas of Rawalpindi. The participants were divided into three groups based on their albuminuria status. Group I [n=20] consisted of healthy volunteers having blood glucose level <6 mmol/L, group II [n=20] consisted of normoalbuminurics type 2 diabetics, groups III [n=20] consisted of microalbuminuric type 2 diabetics and group IV [n=20] consisted of macroalbuminuric type 2 diabetics. Fasting blood samples of diabetic and control groups were analyzed for glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1c] for the assessment of glycemic status, thiol for antioxidant status, thiamine chloride and thiamine monophosphate for assessment of thiamine status. Twenty four hour urine samples were analyzed for microalbuminuria, thiamine chloride and thiamine monophosphate. Plasma thiol levels were significantly reduced in diabetics as compared to normal controls. Moreover, the thiol levels decreased with increasing urinary albumin excretion, being lowest in the macroalbuminuric group. Furthermore, a significant positive correlation was found between plasma thiamine and plasma thiol levels in all the groups. Thiamine levels are reduced in the diabetic population and this thiamine deficiency is positively correlated with plasma thiol levels in diabetics. Furthermore this progressive decline in the plasma thiol level corresponds to the increase in urinary albumin excretion