title: Delta-aminolevulinate dehydratase (delta-ALA-D) activity in diabetes and hypothyroidism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study analyzed the influence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and primary hypothyroidism on the activity of the delta-aminolevulinate dehydratase (delta-ALA-D) in human blood.
  
  
  METHODS
  Delta-ALA-D enzyme activity was determined in normal (healthy) people (n=29), compensated (DMC, n=11) and non-compensated diabetic patients (NDMC, n=23), and in patients with compensated (CH, n=19) and non-compensated primary hypothyroidism (NCH, n=10). The determination of lead, copper, zinc and magnesium was performed by graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry.
  
  
  RESULTS
  This study shows that delta-ALA-D activity was decreased (P<0.05) in situations associated to hyperglycemia maintained for long periods (HbA1c high). Another finding of this study suggests that states of hypofunction of the thyroid gland, when non-compensated, increase the activity of delta-ALA-D (P<0.001). In addition, copper was elevated in HNC, zinc was diminished in DMC, HC and HNC, and magnesium was diminished in the HNC group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This result points out that there is a correlation among diabetes, hypothyroidism and delta-ALA-D activity.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciências Naturais e Exatas Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, RS 97105-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: João B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: João B T
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Rocha
authors.forename: Cristina W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Nogueira
authors.forename: Vanessa C
authors.initials: VC
authors.lastname: Borges
authors.forename: Rosilene R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Kaizer
authors.forename: Vera M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Morsch
authors.forename: Valderi L
authors.initials: VL
authors.lastname: Dressler
authors.forename: Ayrton F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Martins
authors.forename: Erico M M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Flores
authors.forename: Maria R C
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Schetinger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003300:Copper / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007037:Hypothyroidism / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000623:Porphobilinogen Synthase / Q000097:blood*; D013972:Thyrotropin / Q000097:blood; D015032:Zinc / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D003300:Copper; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D000623:Porphobilinogen Synthase; D013972:Thyrotropin; D015032:Zinc