[Risk of cardiovascular complications in patients with type II diabetes mellitus in relation to serum triacylglycerols].
Paraules clau
Resum
BACKGROUND
The importance of serum triacylglycerols (TG) as a risk factor of cardiovascular complications in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients has been emphasized in recent studies.
OBJECTIVE
In the study of our group of NIDDM patients with and without coronary artery disease (CAD), it has been expedient to follow: 1. the difference in their serum TG, VLDL lipoprotein, total, HDL and LDL cholesterol levels, 2. dependence of other parameters on TG, 3. to answer the question as to what extent the lowering of TG in NIDDM patients is expected to be decreasing the risk of CAD.
METHODS
The investigated groups included the total of 39 NIDDM out-patients; 20 with manifest signs of CAD. The lipoproteins were measured using the BIO-LACHEMAR kits.
CONCLUSIONS
In CAD group, the serum TG and VLDL were significantly increased, HDL cholesterol being lower (p < 0.01, p < 0.01, p < 0.02, respectively). The TG-to-HDL cholesterol, TG-to-total cholesterol ratios and atherogenic index (= total cholesterol-to-HDL cholesterol ratio) were in the CAD group also significantly higher (p < 0.02, p < 0.02 and p < 0.002, respectively). Furthermore, the serum TG was positively correlated with the atherogenic index and LDL (p < 0.001 and p < 0.05; r = 0.603 and r = 0.397, respectively). The logarithm of TG was a strong positive correlate of the total cholesterol (p < 0.001; r = 0.584). On the other hand, the serum TG was negatively correlated with HDL cholesterol (p < 0.005; r = -0.466). When logarithm of TG was taken, the statistical significance of all these correlations was even higher. The serum TG levels were significantly higher in patients with CAD. (Tab. 2, Fig. 7, Ref. 10.)
