Comparative analysis of antioxidant status in diabetic patients with and without insulin resistance

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder characterized by insulin resistance, where hyperglycemia is believed to trigger oxidative stress, contributing to insulin function impairment. This study aimed to assess and compare levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), and uric acid in diabetic patients with and without insulin resistance and to assess the correlation with fasting blood sugar (FBS) and lipid profiles. Significant variations were found in MDA, uric acid, and GSH levels between insulin-resistant and non-resistant diabetic groups (p<0.0001). FBS, hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C), insulin activity, and Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) significantly differed between the groups (p<0.0001). Total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL), and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) concentrations were higher in the insulin resistance group than the non-insulin resistance group (p<0.0001). Uric acid also exhibited a significant correlation (p<0.01) with LDL levels, while HDL levels showed a negative correlation with both MDA and uric acid (p<0.001). Diabetes mellitus, characterized by chronic hyperglycemia, may play a role in the development of oxidative stress. This oxidative stress is a significant factor that could potentially lead to the onset of insulin resistance, a condition strongly associated with dyslipidemia. The results of this study indicate that the decrease in GSH levels and the increase in MDA and uric acid levels are particularly noteworthy in the context of insulin resistance among patients with diabetes.