Oxidative stress is independently associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in subjects with and without type 2 diabetes

Our work is aimed at exploring the interrelationship of oxidative stress and insulin resistance in NAFLD subjects with and without type 2 diabetes in a population-based study. Subjects [ n = 200] were recruited from the Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiology Study. 1: Normal glucose tolerance (NGT) subjects without NAFLD; 2: NGT with NAFLD; 3: type 2 diabetic subjects [T2DM] without NAFLD and 4: T2DM with NAFLD. Thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS), protein carbonyl (PCC) and glutathione levels were measured by standard methods. Ultrasound of the liver was used to diagnose NAFLD. TBARS and PCC levels were significantly elevated and GSH/GSSG ratio was significantly decreased in diabetic subjects with NAFLD compared to all other groups ( p trend < 0.001). Oxidative stress markers significantly associated with NAFLD even after adjusting for age, gender, BMI and glycemic status. Increased oxidative stress is independently associated with NAFLD in Asian Indians without and with T2DM.