Enhanced acute-phase response and oxidative stress in older adults with type II diabetes.
OBJECTIVE
To test whether oxidative stress could promote a systemic acute-phase response in elderly patients with type II diabetes.


METHODS
In a group of 30 older diabetic patients with poor glycemic control, serum levels of lipid peroxides, measured as thiobarbituric acid-reacting substances (TBARS); C-reactive protein (CRP); interleukin (IL)-6 and the soluble form of its receptor (slL-6R), were evaluated at baseline and after 2 and 3 months of therapeutic intervention. Thirty asymptomatic, untreated individuals with abnormal fasting glycemia, but otherwise healthy status, of similar age, sex, and weight served as control group.


RESULTS
At baseline, glycemia (8.83 +/- 0.67mmol/l), HbA1C (8.66 +/- 0.59%), TBARS (8.68 +/- 1.21 micromol/l), CRP (16.05 +/- 3.81 mg/l) IL-6 (5.39 +/- 1.25 pg/ml) and sIL-6R (1425 +/- 492 pg/ml) were significantly higher in diabetic patients than in asymptomatic hyperglycemic individuals (p<0.001). After treatment, glycemia significantly decreased with respect to baseline values (- 9.82% after 60 days and -13.74% after 90 days), as did serum levels of TBARS (-14.05% and -21.89%, respectively), CRP (-32.71% and -43.86%), IL-6 (-23.75% and -40.63%) and sIL-6R (-34.53% and -48.49%, respectively). In diabetic patients, multiple regression showed, at each time, that TBARS and IL-6 were independently correlated with CRP, considering CRP as the dependent variable. Similar correlations were found in asymptomatic hyperglycemic subjects.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that oxidative stress might be implicated in promoting a state of low-grade systemic inflammation in elderly patients with type II diabetes.
Arnalich
F
F
Internal Medicine, Hospital Universatorio La Paz, Spain. francisco.arnalich@uam.es
Hernanz
A
A
López-Maderuelo
D
D
Peña
J M
JM
Camacho
J
J
Madero
R
R
Vázquez
J J
JJ
Montiel
C
C
D000210:Acute-Phase Reaction / Q000378:metabolism*; D000368:Aged; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000097:blood; D015850:Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000502:physiology*; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6 / Q000378:metabolism; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000378:metabolism
D015850:Interleukin-6; D019947:Receptors, Interleukin-6; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances; D002097:C-Reactive Protein