The pathophysiological effects of serum copper in type 2 diabetes mellitus with and without diabetic nephropathy

This study was undertaken to investigate the effects of copper on the development of lipid peroxidation in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus with and without diabetic nephropathy. Fifty-five patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus were recruited in this study and were divided into 2 sub-groups based on the presence of microalbuminuria, the first group (microalbuminuric group n = 31) had a microalbuminuria between 30-299 ug/mg. The second group (normoalbuminuric group, n = 29) had an albumin level less than 30 ug/mg. The two diabetic groups were compared to the control group (n = 37). The results of our study showed significant elevation in the levels of serum lipid profiles and lipid peroxidation markers in the microalbuminuric group compared to the normoalbuminuric group at P < 0.001. This was associated with significant rise of serum copper in the diabetic group with nephropathy compared to the diabetic group with no nephropathy and the control group, P < 0.001. The current study illustrates that the presence of microalbuminuria in type 2 DM can be regarded as an index of increased cardiovascular vulnerability and a signal for vigorous efforts at correction of known modifiable risk factors in which serum Cu one of them.