THE ERYTHROCYTE GLUTATHIONE LEVELS DURING ORAL GLUCOSE-TOLERANCE TEST

Erythrocytes glutathione (GSH) levels were measured in erythrocytes fr om 33 subjects, at baseline and after 2-hour glucose loading in order to investigate the effect of glucose ingestion on the erythrocyte GSH. According to the World Health Organisation criteria 18 subjects had n ormal glucose tolerance (NGT) (mean age 48+/-10 years, 10 women, 8 men ), 15 subjects had impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) (mean age 52+/-8 y ears, 9 women, 6 men). After 12-hour fasting, erythrocyte GSH levels w ere 40.5+/-8.06 and 39.27+/-10.26 mg/dl hemolisate in subjects with NG T and IGT, respectively (p=N.S). After e-hour glucose loading, erythro cyte GSH levels decreased to 36.01+/-9.4 (p<0.05) and 32.36+/-5.7 (p<0 .005) in subjects with NGT and IGT, respectively. The decrease in eryt hrocyte GSH levels in subjects with IGT was greater than in NGT indivi duals (p<0.001). There was negative correlation between glucose, insul in, C-peptide, and erythrocyte GSH levels after glucose loading (p<0.0 05). Our results suggest that glucose loading induce an oxidative stre ss in all subjects but this oxidative stress is greater in subjects wi th IGT than with NGT. (C) 1997, Editrice Kurtis.