PLASMA BETA-CAROTENE, RETINOL, AND ALPHA-TOCOPHEROL LEVELS IN RELATION TO GLYCEMIC CONTROL OF CHILDREN WITH INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS

Plasma beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol and retinol were measured in 15 female and 5 male children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus ( IDDM), and the correlations with plasma hemoglobin Ale (HbA1c) and fru ctosamine were analyzed. Twelve female and 8 male children served as a ge-matched controls. The plasma beta-carotene and alpha-tocopherol lev els of the IDDM children were significantly higher than those of the c ontrol children, but there were no differences in plasma retinol or to tal lipid levels. The plasma beta-carotene level, beta-carotene/retino l ratio and beta-carotene/total lipids ratio each showed significant c orrelations with serum HbA1c and fructosamine in all subjects studied. Similarly, the plasma alpha-tocopherol level and alpha-tocopherol/tot al lipids ratio were correlated with these indexes of glycemic control . These findings suggest certain mechanisms may exist to prevent lipid peroxidation and vascular complications in IDDM patients.