[Lipid peroxidation and the antioxidant protection of the erythrocytes in diabetes mellitus patients].

The study included 16 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) type 1 and 15 healthy controls. By the moment of examination the patients had achieved subcompensation. 10 patients developed diabetic vascular complications. The patients received biosynthetic insulins Humulin S, Humulin I, Humulin M3. Pretreatment glycemia in the patients surpassed that in the controls, MDA red cell levels per ml of hemolysate were higher by 121% and 130% per protein 1 mg. MDA measured equal both in angiopathy patients and those without it. The activity of the antioxidant enzymes in DM patients was similar to control indices. Human insulin administration reduced red cell MDA levels both in angiopathy and free of it patients, though in the former MDA remained higher than normal, while in the latter normal levels are obtained. The parameters of the antioxidant defense enzymes changed on the treatment week 12: catalase activity rose by 41%, that of superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase lowered by 35 and 65%, respectively. Variations in these enzymes activity showed no dependence on vascular complications.