Study of malondialdehyde and estimation of blood glucose levels in patients with diabetes mellitus with cataract

Increased oxidative stress may contribute to development of complications in diabetes may result from over production of precursors to reactive oxygen radicals and/ or decreased efficiency of inhibitory scavenger systems. Senile diabetic cataract is one of the chronic complications of diabetes mellitus. The present study has been carried out in patients suffering with NIDDM (Type-2) with or without associated cataract. Hyperglycemia causes oxidative stress, as measured by malondialdehyde (MDA) (a lipid peroxidation product) is more in diabetic patients (370.80 n.mol/l) compared to the normal individuals (181.04 n.mol/l) whereas the oxidative stress in diabetics with cataract is significantly more (399.12 n.mol/l) than that in diabetics without complications. Attempts have been made under present study to estimate serum MDA levels as a marker of free radical stress against free radical injury.