Relationship between Oxidative Stress and Diabetes Mellitus Complications

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a multifactorial metabolic disorder characterized by chronic hyperglycemia and associated with significant microvascular and macrovascular complications and. Oxidative stress, resulting from an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and antioxidant defenses, plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of diabetes-related complications. Our study designed A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted involving 50 diabetic patients from different hospitals from Iraq with study period between 12-5-2024 to 4-6-2025 where Data collected included demographic characteristics, symptom presentation, diagnostic methods, medication regimens, insulin usage, and HbA1c monitoring frequencies, while that Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, a biomarker of oxidative stress, were measured in patients and compared to healthy controls, where in our study the finding were found mean (Sd)53.1 ± 9.9,(slight female predominance (54%)). The duration of diabetes exceeded 10 years in 32% of the cohort. Polyuria was the predominant symptom at diagnosis (42%), with 90% diagnosed by glucose tolerance testing. Oral hypoglycemic drugs were used by 74%, with a mean of 1.1 ± 0.9 agents per patient; 68% were not on insulin therapy in addition to found HbA1c monitoring was inadequate, with 68% of patients lacking regular assessment during the year, and 24% demonstrating levels >7%, indicating poor glycemic control, even that were Significantly elevated MDA levels were observed in diabetic patients (3.20 ± 0.57 µmol/L) compared to healthy controls (1.70 ± 0.35 µmol/L), with a large effect size (Cohen’s d = 3.20), reflecting increased oxidative stress, for this results we concluded The study highlights suboptimal glycemic monitoring and control among diabetic patients, alongside markedly elevated oxidative stress, suggesting its critical role in the development and progression of diabetic complications.