Acute blood glucose fluctuations can decrease blood glutathione and adiponectin levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.
BACKGROUND
Glutathione appears to have apparent antioxidant activity to counter regulate hyperglycemia induced oxidative stress. Adiponectin also plays a role in the suppression of the metabolic derangements in type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM). The aim of this study was to determine whether blood glucose fluctuations can alter blood levels of glutathione and adiponectin.


METHODS
We enrolled 34 patients with type 2 DM. As a measure of short-term glycemic variability, the mean amplitude of glycemic excursions (MAGE) was computed from a continuous glucose monitor system (CGMS), and data were recorded over 72 h. For long-term glycemic variability, we calculated the standard deviation (SD) of HbA1c over a 2-year period. Glutathione and adiponectin levels were measured after completing the 72-h CGMS data collection.


RESULTS
The blood levels of glutathione were significantly and negatively correlated with MAGE (r = -0.543; P < 0.001), but not with HbA1c and SD of HbA1c. Adiponectin levels were also significantly and negatively correlated with MAGE and SD of HbA1c (r = -0.64 and r = -0.55, respectively; P < 0.001). Using generalized estimating equations, multivariate regression analysis revealed that MAGE is an independent predictor of serum levels of adiponectin (P = 0.002) and glutathione (P = 0.004).


CONCLUSIONS
We found strong associations between acute blood glucose variability, glutathione, and adiponectin in type 2 diabetic patients treated with oral hypoglycemic agent therapy.
Department of Internal Medicine, Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung City, Taiwan.
Chia-Jen
CJ
Tsai
Ching-Jung
CJ
Hsieh
Shih-Chen
SC
Tung
Ming-Chun
MC
Kuo
Feng-Chih
FC
Shen
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged
D052242:Adiponectin; D001786:Blood Glucose; D005978:Glutathione