International Ophthalmology · 8 authors, 2 centres
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This cross-sectional study measured aldose reductase and glutathione activity in the lens nucleus of 62 cataract patients and found that type 2 diabetics had significantly higher aldose reductase and lower glutathione levels than non-diabetics, suggesting a role for polyol pathway-mediated oxidative stress in earlier cataract formation in diabetes.
This prospective cross-sectional comparative study enrolled 62 patients undergoing cataract surgery: 31 with type 2 diabetes and 31 without diabetes. Lens nuclei were analyzed for aldose reductase (AR) and glutathione (GSH) activity, and blood samples were assessed for glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c). The diabetic group showed significantly higher mean AR activity (2.07 mU/mg) compared to the non-diabetic group (0.22 mU/mg), while mean GSH activity was significantly lower in diabetics (3.38 μMol/g) than in non-diabetics (7.47 μMol/g), both with p-values < 0.001. Mean HbA1c was 7.34% in diabetics versus 5.7% in non-diabetics. AR activity positively correlated with HbA1c in the diabetic group (correlation coefficient 0.394, p = 0.028). The diabetic group also showed earlier cataract progression. These findings support a link between polyol pathway activity, oxidative stress, and cataract development in diabetes.
