ABSTRACT
To evaluate ratios of serum triglycerides and cholesterol levels which may indicate postprandial lipid handling and to assess their role as prospective markers of dyslipidaemia in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Comparative, observational study. Bismillah Taqee Hospital, Karachi from July 2002 till December 2003. The study comprised 160 subjects, including 83 known type 2 diabetics [45 males, 38 females] and 77 age-matched controls [45 males, 32 females]. Fasting blood samples were analysed for serum triglycerides and total cholesterol, using automated chemistry analyzer. HDL-C was determined by precipitation method and LDL-C and VLDL-C were estimated by Friedewalds formula. LDL/HDL ratio and TG/HDL ratios were also calculated. The mean values for male and female diabetics were compared with that for the male and female non-diabetics respectively and tested for significance by paired t-test. Serum triglycerides and VLDL were raised in both male and female diabetics. No significant differences were observed in levels of serum total cholesterol, LDL, HDL and the LDL/HDL ratio. The mean value of the TG/HDL ratio for male diabetics was higher than that for the male non-diabetics [p=0.39]. A statistically significant difference was found in the TG/HDL ratios for the female diabetics and non-diabetics [p < 0.05]. In this study, type 2 diabetics showed marked hypertriglyceridaemia and raised TG/HDL ratio. The dyslipidaemia of diabetes predisposes to development of coronary heart disease and, therefore, evaluation of the TG:HDL ratio may provide a good tool to monitor and manage the lipid abnormalities in diabetics