Antioxidant status in patients with metabolic syndrome as measured by ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP) assay

Background: Oxidative stress is involved in the pathophysiology of diabetes and cardiovascular complications of metabolic syndrome. Endothelial dysfunction which is the key feature of metabolic syndrome and its vascular complication is intimately linked to insulin resistance. This relationship is partly due to oxidative stress. Methods: Twenty five patients with metabolic syndrome (mean age 47.3 ± 2.6 years, 13 males) diagnosed on the basis of National Cholesterol Education Programme/Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP/ATPIII) criteria along with 25 age and gender matched healthy controls (mean age 42.1 ± 1.8 years, 11 males) were studied. Malondialdehyde (MDA), as an index of changes in lipid peroxidation was estimated as thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) along with plasma total antioxidant capacity as ferric reducing ability of plasma (FRAP). Results: A significant increase (p=0.001) in MDA levels in the study group was observed when compared to the control group, where as FRAP levels were decreased in the study group compared to the control group (p=0.001). Among the components of metabolic syndrome hyperglycaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia, hypertension and waist circumference positively correlated with MDA levels whereas hyperglycaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia and waist circumference correlated negatively with FRAP. Conclusions: The findings of the present study suggest the presence of oxidative stress in patients with metabolic syndrome which further increases the cardiovascular risk in these patients. Antioxidant therapy monitored with a simple assay like FRAP would definitely add to the existing measures like reducing abdominal obesity in preventing the cardiovascular sequelae and hence CVD risk in these patients.