Interconnection between oxidative stress and type 2 diabetes mellitus

Total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and malondialdehyde (MDA) are two important biomarkers used in the context of diabetes mellitus (DM) to assess oxidative stress and damage. This study aimed to compare TAC and MDA levels in diabetic and non-diabetic individuals and find out the correlation between them. Estimation of TAC and MDA levels was done in a total of 200 individuals (100 non-diabetic and 100 diabetic individuals) by using standard spectrophotometric methods. This case-control study was done from May 2022 to Dec 2022 in a tertiary care hospital. For statistical analysis, version 20 of SPSS software was used. MDA and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels were significantly higher (P=0.000) and TAC levels were significantly lower (P=0.000) in diabetic than non-diabetic individuals. A significant negative correlation was observed between MDA and TAC in both groups. No significant correlation was found between MDA, TAC, and FPG levels. With the rise in the duration of diabetes significant increase was found in MDA and FPG levels. Also, there was a significant decrease in TAC levels. The combination of increased MDA levels, elevated FPG levels, and decreased TAC with increasing duration of diabetes indicates a state of heightened oxidative stress in DM patients.