Behavior of the total antioxidant status in a group of subjects with metabolic syndrome

AimsOur purpose was to examine the total antioxidant status (TAS) in subjects with metabolic syndrome (MS) subdivided according to the presence or not of diabetes mellitus.MethodsWe enrolled 106 subjects (45 women, 61 men) with MS subsequently subdivided in diabetics (14 women, 29 men) and nondiabetics (31 women, 29 men). TAS was obtained using an Assay kit which relies on the ability of plasma antioxidant substances to inhibit the oxidation of 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzthiazoline sulfonic acid) to the radical ABTS+.ResultsIn the group of MS subjects a significant decrease in TAS (p < 0.05) in comparison with normal controls was evident. This difference was present between normal subjects and nondiabetic subjects with MS (p < 0.001) but not between normal and diabetic subjects with MS. Examining the linear regression among TAS, age, anthropometric profile, blood pressure values and glycometabolic pattern, conflicting data were found.ConclusionsAlthough we know that TAS includes several enzymatic and non enzymatic antioxidants, we retain that the difference observed in the two subgroups of subjects with MS must be looked in particular into two pathophysiological aspects regarding bilirubin and uric acid.