Acute Changes in Trace Elements and Antioxidant Biomarkers in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Undergoing Coronary Angiography for Suspected or Known Coronary Artery Disease.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is associated with increased oxidative stress and a high burden of cardiovascular disease. Coronary angiography introduces several potential physiological influences, including contrast exposure, vascular manipulation, fasting, and peri-procedural fluid administration. However, short-term changes in circulating trace elements and antioxidant biomarkers after the procedure remain insufficiently characterized. Because these factors were not examined separately in the present study, any observed pre-post differences were interpreted as associations rather than proof of contrast-induced vascular injury. OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to evaluate acute pre- and post-procedural changes in circulating trace elements and oxidative stress biomarkers in patients with T2DM undergoing coronary angiography for suspected or known CAD. METHODS: Thirty patients with T2DM undergoing coronary angiography were prospectively enrolled. Serum Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cd, and Pb were measured by flame atomic absorption spectrometry, and serum GSH and MDA were assessed spectrophotometrically. Analyte-specific paired comparisons included 25 participants for trace elements, 22 for GSH, and 21 for MDA. Serum trace elements (Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cd, Pb) are reported in mg/L, GSH in µmol/g protein, and MDA in µmol/L. Blood samples were collected immediately before and immediately after the angiographic procedure; a fixed, standardized post-procedural time interval in minutes was not recorded in the study database. RESULTS: Post-procedural measurements showed reductions in circulating Cu (- 15.4%, unadjusted p = 0.009) and Zn (- 32.5%, p < 0.001) and an increase in serum GSH (+ 98.6%, p < 0.001). No statistically significant pre-post differences were observed for Fe, Mn, Cd, Pb, or MDA. After correction for eight biomarker comparisons, the Zn and GSH findings remained statistically significant, whereas the Cu finding did not meet the Bonferroni-adjusted threshold of p < 0.00625. These observations describe short-term circulating biomarker changes but do not establish a specific mechanism or isolate the effects of contrast exposure from other procedural factors. CONCLUSIONS: In this exploratory paired study, coronary angiography was associated with short-term changes in circulating Zn and GSH in patients with T2DM; the Cu finding did not remain significant after conservative correction for multiple comparisons. The absence of a comparator group and the potential effects of sampling time, hemolysis, hydration, hemodilution, and other procedural factors preclude causal or mechanistic conclusions. Larger controlled studies are required.