Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM: Indoxyl sulfate is a metabolite of tryptophan and its urinary level reflects the status of bacterial flora in the intestine. Indoxyl sulfate possesses prooxidant properties and is implicated in various diseases including chronic kidney disease and cardiovascular diseases. However, the relation of urinary indoxyl sulfate to oxidative stress is not known. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The association of urinary indoxyl sulfate levels with urinary levels of oxidative stress markers, 15-isoprostane F(2t) and pteridine derivatives, was investigated in 255 patients with type 2 diabetes. Indoxyl sulfate and pteridine derivatives were measured by using spectrofluorometry. RESULTS: Urinary levels of indoxyl sulfate, pteridines, and 15-isoprostane F(2t) showed a normal distribution after logarithmic transformation but not before it, and they were thus used for parametric analysis after logarithmic transformation. Urinary indoxyl sulfate levels were significantly correlated (p<0.01) with urinary 15-isoprostane F(2t) and pteridine levels [Pearson's correlation coefficients: 0.503 (15-isoprostane F(2t)) and 0.562 (pteridines)]. These associations were also found in multivariable analysis after adjusting for age, sex, insulin therapy for diabetes, body mass index, mean arterial pressure, hemoglobin A1(c), estimated glomerular filtration rate, urinary albumin, and histories of smoking and alcohol drinking. CONCLUSION: Urinary indoxyl sulfate levels showed associations with urinary levels of oxidative stress markers, and the associations were independent of age, sex, insulin therapy for diabetes, body mass index, blood pressure, glycemic status, renal function, smoking, and alcohol drinking. Indoxyl sulfate appears to be an important determinant of redox balance in patients with diabetes.