Endocrine Abstracts

One of the key enzymes of antioxidant system is superoxide dismutase (SOD) that catalyses dismutation of superoxide anionic radical (O₂⁻)l to molecular oxygen (O₂) and hydrogen (H₂O₂). It was revealed that activity of SOD is decreased in patients with decompensated type 2 diabetes (T2D) but there is insufficient data about enzyme activity in compensated states and prediabetes.

Purpose: To analyse the state of SOD activity in patients with compensated T2D and prediabetes.

Materials and methods: 195 patients were divided into five groups: group 1 – 23 patients with impaired fasting glucose (IFG), group 2 – 23 patients with impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), group 3 – 41 patients with T2D, group 4 – 48 patients with T2D and concomitant coronary heart disease (CHD), and group 5 – 41 almost healthy person (control). All patients were before 60 years old and patients with T2D had compensated glycaemic state. Activity of SOD was measured by reduction of nitrotetrazolium by superoxide radical.

Results: The lowest activity was registered in group 4 (71.71 (48.14; 80.37) CU/ml) and in group 3 (76.49 (35.43; 85.22) CU/ml) compared to control group (104.96 (66.86; 142.82) CU/ml) (P4–5<0.001 and P3–5<0.005). Activity of SOD was significantly higher in patients with IGT (92.95 (60.21; 144.02)) compared to other groups (P2–3<0.005 and P2–4<0.001) and almost was not different compared to almost healthy person (P>0.1). We didn’t reveal any significance in activity of SOD on patients with IFG and other groups.

Conclusion: T2D is associated with decreased activity of SOD which is more significant when associated with CHD. Prediabetes is not associated with changes in the activity of SOD.