Relationship between different lipoprotein fractions and the incidence of coronary heart disease in diabetics of Trinidad & Tobago

ABSTRACT

This study was undertaken in order to investigate the relationship between the different lipoprotein fractions and the incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) in diabetics of Trinidad and Trinidad and Tobago. Seven hundred (700) diabetics attending outpatient clinics at Sangre-Grande and Port-Grande and Port-of-Sapin hospitals were screened.There were 132 males and 249 females of African descent; 99 males and 163 females of East Indian extraction and 19 males and 38 females of other ethnic origins. The average age of the population studied was 50 years (ñ15). From this survey, it is evident that the impact of the diabetic state on lipoprotein homeostasis results in elevation of serum lipid concentrations. The elevation of low density lipoprotein cholesterol seems to be the most reliable lipid risk indicator of the lipoprotein profile, predisposing patients to a coronary event. The data also provides unequivocal evidence that diabetic patients of Trinidad and Tobago have more coronary atherosclerosis and a higher incidence of clinical CHD than does the non-diabetic population of similar age