Relationship between iron metabolism, oxidative stress, and insulin resistance in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to assess oxidative stress and iron metabolism in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with and without insulin resistance (IR).Method: This study included 236 subjects (125 controls and 111 SLE patients). Patients with SLE were divided in two groups: with (n = 72) or without (n = 39) IR.Results: SLE patients with IR showed higher advanced oxidation protein product (AOPP) levels (p = 0.030) and gamma-glutamyltransferase (GGT) levels (p = 0.001) and lower sulfhydryl groups of proteins (p = 0.0002) and total radical-trapping antioxidant parameter (TRAP) corrected by uric acid (UA) levels (p = 0.04) when compared to SLE patients without IR. However, SLE patients with IR presented lower serum 8-isoprostane (p = 0.05) and carbonyl protein levels (p = 0.04) when compared to SLE patients without IR. Serum ferritin levels were significantly higher in SLE patients (p = 0.0006) than in controls, and SLE patients with IR presented higher serum ferritin levels (p = 0...