Alterations of Serum Electrolytes and Malondialdehyde in Cataract Patients Attending General Hospital Owerri

摘要

Aim: This study was carried out to determine the level of serum electrolyte and malondialdehyde in cataract patients. Material and Methods: 80 cataract patients within the age of 55 years to 75 years attending General Hospital Owerri for routine blood glucose check were used in this study. Also 80 apparently healthy subjects without cataract within the age of 55 years and 75 years were used as control. The level of electrolytes particularly sodium and potassium were measured. The levels of glucose, urea, creatinine were measured in order to rule out diabetes and kidney malfunction respectively in both study and control groups. Result: It was observed that the level of sodium and Malondialdehyde (MDA) were significantly increased in cataract patients when compared with controls (p0.05) while the difference in the level of potassium was not significant (P0.05). Conclusion: This observation shows that increased sodium level in cataract patients could probably result in elevation of aqueous humor of the lens which contributes to osmotic disorder across the lens membrane. This could aggravate the progression of cataract as a result of MDA elevation. Therefore, salt restricted diet could be beneficial to cataract patients by preventing electrolyte disorder, hypernatremia and maintain the electrolyte balance.