Oxidative stress is independently associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in subjects with and without type 2 diabetes

Objective: Our work is aimed at exploring the interrelationship of oxidative stress and insulin resistance in NAFLD subjects with and without type 2 diabetes in a population-based study. Methods: Subjects [n = 200] were recruited from the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study. 1: Normal glucose tolerance (NGT) subjects without NAFLD; 2: NGT with NAFLD; 3: type 2 diabetic subjects [T2DM] without NAFLD and 4: T2DM with NAFLD. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), protein carbonyl (PCC) and glutathione levels were measured by standard methods. Ultrasound of the liver was used to diagnose NAFLD. Results: TBARS and PCC levels were significantly elevated and GSH/GSSG ratio was significantly decreased in diabetic subjects with NAFLD compared to all other groups (p trend <0.001). Oxidative stress markers significantly associated with NAFLD even after adjusting for age, gender, BMI and glycemic status. Conclusions: Increased oxidative stress is independently associated with NAFLD in Asian Indians without and with T2DM. (c) 2010 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.