Serum zinc levels in diabetic patients with and without dyslipidaemia and cardiovascular diseases

Introduction: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a major health problem which increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Zinc (Zn) has a number of antioxidant functions which neutralize the reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated in patients with diabetes. ROS stimulate oxidation of low density lipoprotein (LDL), cholesterol, cholesterol derived species in atherosclerotic plaques in arteries in dyslipidaemia patients. The oxidized LDL (Ox-LDL) has been identified as a major cause of endothelial dysfunction leading to CVDs. Objective: In this study, the serum Zn levels, anthropometric and clinical parameters of diabetes patients with and without dyslipidaemia and CVDs were investigated. Method: The serum samples of 116 subjects which include 42 patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) alone, 55 patients with T2DM and dyslipidaemia and 19 patients with T2DM, dyslipidaemia and CVD from diabetes and endocrinology clinic were analysed. Results: The serum Zn levels of diabetes patients (944.69±241.53 ppb), diabetes with dyslipidaemia (991.45±265.50 ppb) and diabetes, dyslipidaemia and CVD (1,000.97±295.17 ppb) were not statistically significant {significance value of the ANOVA test was 0.619 (p=0.619 > α =0.05)}. Zinc deficiency was 27.27% among male patients and 16.00% among female patients. Zinc concentration among Type 2 diabetes patients was not affected by, gender, body mass index (BMI) and duration of diabetes. Conclusion: Serum zinc levels were not statistically different among diabetic patients with and without dyslipidaemia and CVD. The role of serum zinc levels in T2DM and CVDs need to be examined further in long term longitudinal trials