Oxidant/antioxidant Status of Patients with Diabetic and Senile Cataract

The aim of the present study is to evaluate the relationship of total antioxidant capacity, total oxidant status, oxidative stres and total free sulfydryl groups in patients with diabetic and nondiabetic senil cataract. The study was carried out on venous blood samples from 70 subjects admitted to the ophtalmology clinic of a research hospital. Of these, 25 were senile Type 2 diabetic patients with cataract who were using oral hypoglycemic agents or insülin. Fourty-five patients with nondiabetic senile cataract comprised the control group. Total oxidant status (TOS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and total free -SH levels were measured in sera of patients with cataract. Serum TAS and TOS levels were determined using a novel automated measurement method. Oxidative status was determined using TAC and TOS measurement and with the calculation of oxidative stres index. TOS and OSI levels were significantly higher in diabetic cataract than senile cataract (p=0.008, p=0.013), respectively. TAC and total free -SH levels were similiar in the two groups (p = 0.17, p=0.54). Free sulfydryl groups levels are consistent with TAC. The results of present study suggest that TOS and intensity of the oxidative stress in diabetic patients are higher, compared to other age-related cataract patients without diabetes. Since oxidative stress is important in development of diabetic complications, increased TOS and oxidative stress might have a role in the pathophysiology of diabetic cataract.