ABSTRACT
The excessive production of reactive-oxygen species has been demonstrated in experimental diabetes and been linked to both peripheral-nerve dysfunction and microvascular disease. This chapter describes oxidative stress in human diabetes and focuses on peripheral nerve and beta-cell dysfunction. Multiple cardiovascular risk factors are prevalent in long-standing diabetes, including hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and insulin resistance. Oxidative stress has been linked to each of these conditions even in nondiabetic patients. Analysis of Variance was used to test differences between diabetic patients and control subjects and differences between years in the longitudinal study. The chapter analyzes the biochemical measures of oxidative stress and nitrosative stress with respect to the insulin requirements of patients with early type 1 diabetes who were being followed longitudinally. It argues that some of the systemic measures of oxidative stress correlated with the insulin requirements of the patients with early type 1 diabetes.
