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Jan 20, 2026Keywords:
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Sex Differences in Lipid Peroxidation in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus
Simon Bannison Bani
Moses Banyeh
Yussif Adams
PPM Dapare
Abstract
Background: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation. Additionally, T2DM is associated with complications such as retinopathy, neuropathy, nephropathy, and diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA). While previous studies have investigated the association between T2DM and lipid peroxidation, there may be sex-specific differences that have not been adequately investigated in Ghana. Understanding these sex differences in the context of T2DM and lipid peroxidation could inform the development of sex-specific management protocols for T2DM patients.
Objective: The study aimed to determine sex differences in lipid peroxidation, in T2DM patients.
Methodology: This was a cross-sectional study between July and December 2022 at the Tamale Teaching Hospital. The study involved 110 participants between 20 and 55 years. A single fasting venous blood sample was collected and analysed for Total Cholesterol (TC), High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), Malondialdehyde (MDA), and Glutathione Peroxidase (GSH-Px) using an automated biochemistry analyser and ELISA technique.
Results: There were significantly higher serum levels of TC (P=0.004), LDL-C (P=0.028), and MDA (P=0.004) in T2DM compared to the controls. Conversely, GSH-Px levels were significantly lower in the T2DM (P<0.001). Furthermore, significant positive correlations were observed between MDA and TC (r=0.523, p<0.05), as well as between MDA and LDL-C (r=0.540, p<0.01) in male T2DM patients. Similarly, female T2DM patients exhibited a significant positive correlation between MDA and TC (r=0.415, P<0.01). Notably, there were significant interactions between sex and TC (P=0.011), LDL-C (P=0.004), and GSH-Px (P<0.001) on serum MDA levels in T2DM patients. The relationships between these variables and MDA were positive in both sexes, however, the relationships were stronger in males than females.
Conclusion: There is a sex difference in lipid peroxidation in T2DM where the relationship between MDA and fasting lipids is stronger in males than females. The findings may necessitate sex-tailored care strategies in T2DM patients.
