Background and Objectives: In diabetic patients, the persistence of hyperglycemia has been reported as a cause of increased production of oxygen free radicals. Hyperglycemia could induce oxidative stress and become the main factor for predisposing the complications in diabetes. Diabetic neuropathy can be directly related to oxidative damage and change in antioxidant defences of nerve cell. Oxidative stress appears to be primarily due to nerve ischemia and hyperglycemia auto oxidation.

Aim of Study: The study is being aimed to find out the status of lipid peroxidation product i.e. malondialdehyde (MDA) and antioxidant enzymes (AOEs) such as glutathione peroxidase (GPx), glutathione reductase (GR), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and reduced glutathione (GSH) which might be helpful in risk assessment in subjects suffering from cerebrovascular stroke.

Methodology: The study included 125 subjects (50–70 yrs), out of which 50 patients are non insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) with cerebrovascular stroke and 75 age matched healthy control. The status of fasting blood sugar (FBS), reduced glutathione (GSH), GPx, GR, CAT, SOD and MDA were determxsxsined.

Results: Our results showed highly significant increase (P< 0.001) in FBS, CAT and MDA while GSH, GPx, GR and SOD were decreased significantly (P< 0.001).

Conclusion: The data suggest that alterations in antioxidants status and MDA may help to predict the risk of diabetic neuropathy.

doi: 10.5214/ans.0972.7531.2005.120304