Abstract
Fructose intake has increased steadily during the past 2 decades. Fructose, like other reducing sugar, can react with proteins, which may account for aging and cataract formation. Fructose participates in glycation (fructation) and advanced glycation endproducts (AGE) formation some ten times faster than glucose. This study aims to determine the fructose concentration and correlate with antioxidant status in senile diabetic and non-diabetic cataract patients.
The study included 124 subjects. Of them, 31 were normal senile subjects, 33 were senile diabetic patients without cataract, 30 were senile diabetic patients with cataract, and 30 were senile non-diabetic patients with cataract. The patients were selected on clinical grounds from Eye Ward, Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre, Karachi, Pakistan.
Serum fructose was significantly increased (P < 0.001) in senile diabetic patients with and without cataract and senile non-diabetic patients with cataract as compared with senile control subjects. Negative significant correlation was observed between serum fructose and serum total antioxidant status in diabetic and non-diabetic patients with cataract. Positive significant correlation was observed between serum fructose and s-AGEs in diabetic and non-diabetic patients with cataract. Serum total antioxidant status was found to be significantly decreased (P < 0.001) in senile diabetic patients with and without cataract and senile non-diabetic patients with cataract as compared with senile control subjects. Fasting blood glucose, HbA(1C) and serum fructosamine were significantly increased (P < 0.001) in senile diabetic patients with or without cataract as compared with senile non-diabetic patients with cataract and senile control subjects.
The results indicate that the increased fructose concentration which induces oxidative stress in diabetic and non-diabetic patients with cataract may be a predictor for cataractogenesis.