Abstract

EVALUATION OF TRACE ELEMENTS AND GLYCATED HEMOGLOBIN IN TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS

Dr Gagandeep, Dr. Sudha Jha*, Shailaza Shrestha and Rahul Rai

ABSTRACT

Diabetes is a major worldwide health problem and is characterized by chronic hyperglycemia resulting from a variety of etiologies, environmental and genetic factors. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is associated with increased metabolic processes and oxidative stress. The trace elements are important co-factors in these events. Thus this study was conducted to compare serum levels of copper, magnesium and zinc between type 2 diabetic patients and normal controls. Our study included 50 type 2 diabetic patients and 25 healthy controls. Blood levels of fasting sugar, glycated hemoglobin, lipid profile and trace elements like copper, magnesium and zinc were estimated. The results were analysed by student’s t test and Pearson’s correlation coefficient using SPSS 16. Fasting sugar, lipids, glycated hemoglobin and copper were significantly elevated in diabetic patients as compared to healthy controls (p<0.05) whereas serum magnesium and zinc decreased significantly in diabetic patients (p<0.05). Glycated hemoglobin correlated positively with copper and negatively with magnesium and zinc. The correlations were statistically significant (p<0.05). However we could not find any significant correlation between serum trace lements and lipid profile. Our study shows the imbalance in levels of serum copper, magnesium and zinc among the type 2 DM patients. Impaired metabolism of these minerals may have a contributory role in the progression of DM and later development of complications.

Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, Fasting sugar, Glycated hemoglobin, zinc, magnesium, copper.