Study of the relationship of calcium ions, erythrocyte membrane AChE and some related ions with type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

The study was designed to understand the relationship between calcium ions, erythrocyte
membrane AChE activity and some related ions like iron, copper, zinc, and selenium with type
2 diabetes mellitus.
Sixty patients suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus (30 males, and 30 females) aged
between (34)to(65) years with a mean age of (44.11 ± 12.03) were included in this study. The
diabetic patients were diagnosed on the basis of WHO criteria. All patients having a history of
duration of disease more than one year and no one of them have a hypertension.
The control group comprised of (60) healthy individuals (30 males and 30 females), aged
between (30) to (66) years with a mean age of (45.1± 11.87). The control subjects were
selected from the staff of Al-Basrah General Hospital and from the staff and the students of
various colleges of Al-Basrah University. They had no history of diabetes mellitus or any
other disease.
The results of this study showed significant elevations (P< 0.001) in erythrocyte
membrane AChE activity in type 2 diabetic patients as compared to control group. Serum
calcium was significantly decreased in patients with diabetes type 2. The study showed also significant elevations (P< 0.001) in iron stores; represented by serum ferritin, and serum
copper and a significant decrease serum zinc and selenium of diabetic type 2 patients.
Regression analysis showed a significant negative correlation (P< 0.01) between serum
calcium and AChE in males. Non-significant negative correlations between serum calcium and
each of AChE, and serum iron of females and with the serum copper and ferritin of males.
Serum calcium showed significant positive correlations with both serum zinc and selenium,
and a non-significant positive correlations with serum ferritin of females and serum iron of
males.
Conclusion can be made that a neuronal shock (stroke) causes elevations in the
exocytosis of the neurotransmitter ACh, as a result of high calcium influx into the neurons,
and in the same time a shock causes calcium influx into muscle cells in order to do its
contraction. The high influx of calcium enhances intracellular oxidation processes and may be
complicated to diabetes type 2.