Purpose: To evaluate the level of glutathione (GSH) and gluthathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity in the anterior lens capsule of patients with cataract in diabetic patients with meticulous control and in patients with senile cataract.
Method: The anterior lens capsules in 18 eyes with diabetes under tight glycemic control with cataract (Group A) and in 26 eyes with senile cataract (Group B) were collected in phacoemulsification surgery. The specimens were thawed, centrifuged and the supernatants of the homogenate obtained from the samples were analyzed for the GSH level and GSH-Px enzyme activity.
Results: Group A composed of 10 female and 8 male patients and mean age of patients was 60.3 ± 8.3 years. Group B composed of 11 female and 15 male patients and mean age of the patients was 63.9 ± 12.2 years. Mean of the measurements for GSH level and GSH-Px activity at anterior capsule were 82.4±16.5 vs. 97.5±12.5 nmol/mg and 27.0±9.7 vs. 36.9±9.3 mmol/mg protein, in group A and B, respectively. The differences between groups were without any statistical significance for both parameters(p>0.05).
Conclusion: The detorious effect of diabetes on anti-oxidant mechanisms is a well known subject. Our results indicate that approximate level of GSH and GSH-Px activity between diabetics with tight glucose control group and age-matched control group may be the result of meticulous control of hyperglycemia.
Key Words: Cataract, Diabetes mellitus, Glutathione (GSH), Glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), Meticulous controlled diabetes
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