ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: To analyze the relation between the degree of glycemic control and the lipoprotein profile in type I diabetes mellitus. METHODS: Seventy-five diabetics were studied in whom the total glycohemoglobin (GHb), total triglycerides (TG), triglycerides of very low density lipoproteins (TG-VLDL), total cholesterol (TC), cholesterol of very low density lipoproteins (C-VLDL), cholesterol of high density lipoproteins (c-HDL), apolipoprotein AI (Apo AI) and apolipoprotein B (Apo B) were determined. Patients were classified according to their GHb: less than 9% (good glycemic control), 9-11% (moderate glycemic control) and greater than 11% (bad glycemic control). There was homogeneity in the 3 groups with regards to other variables which influenced the lipoprotein profile. RESULTS: The concentrations of TG, TG-VLDL, TC, C-VLDL and C-LDL were significantly higher in the groups of greater GHb while those of C-HDL, Apo I and Apo B were independent of the degree of glycemic control. The number of patients whose lipid profiles may be considered as atherogenic risk increases progressively in groups with greater GHb. CONCLUSIONS: In patients with type I diabetes mellitus, bad glycemic control is accompanied by decreases in TG, TC and C-LDL up to a magnitude which frequently reaches risk values for developing vascular disease. However, in these subjects, a less protector effect dependent on C-HDL is not to be expected since their concentrations are similar to those patients with good glycemic control.
