SERUM ANTIOXIDANT STATUS AND OXIDIZED LDL IN WELL-CONTROLLED YOUNG TYPE-1 DIABETIC-PATIENTS WITH AND WITHOUT SUBCLINICAL COMPLICATIONS

It has been suggested that oxidative stress may play an important role in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications because hyperglycemia m ay cause increased production of free radicals. However, studies on th e antioxidant status of young type 1 diabetic patients are very scarce as well as the relationships of oxidative stress and the presence of subclinical complications. Therefore, it was decided to evaluate autoa ntibodies against LDL (o-LAB) and antioxidant status in relationship w ith glycated hemoglobin levels (HbAlc), lipoproteins and subclinical c omplications (retinopathy, neuropathy and nephropathy). The study incl uded 110 young type 1 diabetic patients, with a median age of 15 years and a median diabetes duration of 5 years. The mean +/- S.E.M. of HbA lc levels was 7.1 +/- 0.2%. Subclinical complications were detected in 26 patients. Total antioxidant status (TAS), vitamin A or E were not decreased in the patients and no significant differences were noted be tween the different subgroups of patients classified according to thei r subclinical complications. HbAlc levels were not related to antioxid ants. Autoantibodies against LDL-lipoproteins decreased with age and d iabetes duration, as reported in healthy non diabetic subjects. In con clusion, in the diabetic patients with a more or less good diabetic co ntrol, increased lipid peroxidation or reduced lipid antioxidant defen se could not be demonstrated, even for the patients with subclinical c omplications. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserv ed.