Relationship between Erythrocyte Aldose Reductase Level and Diabetic Complications among 98 NIDDM Patients

Abstract

The aldose reductase (AR) levels in erythrocytes of peripheral blood were determined in 98 NIDDM patients by the ELISA method to elucidate relationships between AR levels and clinical findings and diabetic complications such as neuropathy, retinopathy, nephropathy and cataract. AR levels showed no significant correlation with age, duration of diabetes, fasting blood glucose and HbA_1c. In 44 patients with duration of diabetes equal to and less than 10 years, the AR levels in patients with neuropathy (n=24) were significantly higher (P<0.05) than those in patients without neuropathy (n=20). In the same group of the patients, the AR levels were significantly higher (P<0.05) in patients wih retinopathy (n=23), than those in patients without retinopathy (n=21). However, AR levels were not significantly different between the patients with and without cataract, and between the patients with and without nephropathy. Therefore, we concluded that high AR levels are related to the development of diabetic complications at least in the early stages of NIDDM.