Cross sectional comparative study of serum free iron in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with and without retinopathy and nephropathy complications

Non protein Bound iron has the capacity to generate reactive oxygen species is called Free iron causing lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation. Free radicals have been implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetes mellitus. Hence the present study was conducted to compare serum levels of free iron, superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde & glycated hemoglobin between type 2 diabetes mellitus with microvascular complications (retinopathy and nephropathy) and type 2 diabetes mellitus without complications.

Cross sectional observational study included total 121 subjects. 60 were healthy controls, 31 cases with type 2 diabetes mellitus without complications, 30 cases with microvascular complications (15 nephropathy and 15 retinopathy cases). Estimation of serum levels of free iron, superoxide dismutase, malondialdehyde, random plasma glucose, and HbA1c, were estimated by spectrophotometric method.

Serum levels of random plasma glucose (<0.001), HbA1c(<0.001), serum free iron(<0.001), serum malondialdehyde (<0.001) were significantly high and serum superoxide dismutase activity(<0.001) was significantly low in type 2 diabetes mellitus with microvascular complications (retinopathy and nephropathy) when compared to type 2 diabetes mellitus without complications & healthy controls respectively.

The study showed higher levels of serum free iron in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with microvascular complications (retinopathy and nephropathy) when compared to type 2 diabetes mellitus without any complications. Serum free iron can be used as oxidant marker to assess the progression of complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus.