A number of studies have shown that patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus are more prone to develop microangiopathic complications. The patients of clinically diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus were divided into 2 groups, based on the presence or absence of at least 2 out of 3 microangiopathic complications, namely, diabetic retinopathy, diabetic nephropathy and peripheral neuropathy. Then the patient in each group (n=50) were subjected to tests for estimation of Zinc, Magnesium and Copper concentration in serum. Hypozincaemia was seen in all diabetic subjects, but the decrease in levels was more in the group with microangiopathic complications (81.16+24.34 vs. 92.01+20.17; p<0.05). Hypomagnesaemia was also more significant in the group of patients with microangiopathic complications (1.64+0.67 vs. 2.09+0.56; p<0.001). Hypercupremia was seen in all the patients, but the increase in levels was more significant in the group with microangiopathic complications (140.64+33.61 vs. 116.77+26.22; p<0.001). Hypozincaemia and hypomagnesaemia in type 2 diabetes is said to be due to hyperglycaemia that promotes increased excretion of these trace elements in urine. The glycated proteins seen in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients have an increased affinity for copper, leading to hypercupremia. This bound copper is redox active and leads to production of free radicals that cause oxidative stress which, plays some role in the development and progression of microangiopathic complications of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
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