[Relationship between free radicals and diabetic microangiopathy].

Lipid peroxide (LPO) values in blood plasma, along with the glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) activity in whole blood and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in erythrocytes were determined in 50 patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and in 33 control subjects. The mean LPO value, SOD activity, LPO/GSH-PX and LPO/SOD ratios in the diabetic patients were significantly higher than those in the control subjects. The increases of LPO value, LPO/GSH-PX and LPO/SOD ratios were more pronounced in diabetics with microangiopathy than in those without microangiopathy. Our results suggest that free radicals may be implicated in the pathogenesis of diabetic microangiopathy.