Association of Decrease Na+/K+-ATPase activity with Diabetes mellitus Type 2

Background: Prolonged uncontrolled diabetes mellitus type 2 can affect all protein channels in the cell membrane that can leads to diabetic complication. One of such channels is Na+/K+ ATPase whose disturbed activity can disturb the normal distribution of Na and K across the cell membrane and can contribute in the pathogenesis of diabetic polyneuropathy. Methods: This was a case control study in which Na+/K+ ATPase activity in RBCs in patients suffering from diabetes type 2 was compared with normal subjects. Forty patients having diabetes type 2 were selected from diabetes center of Jinnah Hospital Lahore, and same number of normal controls were selected from the staff members and relatives of the patients of Jinnah Hospital. Results: BMI and HbA1-c were higher in diabetics as compared to normal healthy individuals but the difference is not significant in case of BMI, as P-value (0.07) is more than 0.05, but this difference was significant in case of HbA1c as p-value (0.02) is less than 0.05. Moreover, erythrocytes Na+/K+ ATPase activity is lower in patients with diabetes type 2 than in normal healthy control. But difference between these two groups is not significant as P value (0.08) is greater than 0.05. Stepwise regression analysis revealed that hyperglycemia decreases the activity of Na+/K+ ATPase and increases the concentration of glycosylated hemoglobin. Conclusions: In patients having Diabetes Mellitus type 2, HbA1-c was significantly higher, BMI was also higher but this increase is not significant. Na+/K+ ATPase activity was lower in patients suffering from diabetes mellitus type 2 as compared to normal healthy controls but it was not significant as Pvalue (0.08) is greater than 0.05.