Excessive excretion of 5-oxoproline and decreased levels of blood glutathione in type II diabetes mellitus.

Levels of blood glutathione (GSH) were measured in 26 type II diabetes mellitus patients compared to 36 controls. Total blood GSH did not differ significantly between the two groups (mean +/- s.d., 8.0 +/- 1.5 vs. 7.7 +/- 1.3 mmol/g Hb, respectively); however reduced GSH was lowered in diabetes mellitus (5.0 +/- 1.0 vs. 5.8 +/- 1.0 mmol/gHb; P = 0.01), whereas oxidized GSH was increased (0.4 +/- 0.2 vs. 0.2 +/- 0.1 mmol/gHb; P = 0.001). Urinary excretion of 5-oxoproline was excessive in the diabetic patients (14.5 +/- 9.9 vs. 3.8 +/- 1.4 mmol/24 h; P = 0.004), and was positively correlated with levels of glycosylated haemoglobin (r = 0.69; P less than 0.01).