Oxidative stress and insulin resistance in Libyan Down syndrome individuals: assessment and association compared to a healthy comparison group

Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) are at increased risk of metabolic disturbances, including oxidative stress (OS) and insulin resistance (IR). The relationship between OS and IR in this population remains unclear.

To assess OS and IR in Libyan individuals with DS and examine the influence of adiposity and age.

Fifty individuals with DS (aged 5-25 years) and 58 age-, sex-, and body mass index-matched individuals (comparison group, CG) were included. Anthropometric measurements, fasting glucose, insulin, malondialdehyde (MDA), and Homeostasis Model Assessment of Insulin Resistance (HOMA-IR) were assessed. Associations between MDA, HOMA-IR, and body composition were evaluated.

No significant correlation was found between MDA and HOMA-IR (r = 0.064, p = 0.661). No significant difference in HOMA-IR was observed between the DS group and the CG (p = 0.822), although 44% of DS subjects showed elevated HOMA-IR. In contrast, MDA levels were significantly higher in the DS group compared to the CG (p < 0.001), but remained within the normal range.

IR in DS appears to be mainly driven by adiposity rather than the syndrome itself, while OS is elevated but largely independent of IR.