Diabetes Care, Vol 7, Issue 2 151-154, Copyright © 1984 by American Diabetes Association
Lipid abnormalities in insulin-dependent diabetic patients with albuminuria
P Vannini, A Ciavarella, M Flammini, AM Bargossi, G Forlani, LC Borgnino and G Orsoni
The relationship between serum lipid, lipoprotein, and apolipoprotein
levels and abnormalities of renal function has been investigated in 112
insulin-dependent (type I) diabetic patients. They were subdivided into
three matched groups according to the amount of albuminuria: group A
(albuminuria less than 20 micrograms/min), group B (albuminuria between 20
and 150 micrograms/min; Albustix negative), and group C (albuminuria
greater than 150 micrograms/min; Albustix positive). Twenty-one nondiabetic
subjects with albuminuria above 150 micrograms/min but without nephrotic
syndrome and/or renal failure and 77 healthy subjects were also studied.
Mean total and LDL cholesterol, triglycerides, and apo B were higher, while
HDL cholesterol and HDL/LDL cholesterol ratio were lower in group C than in
groups A and B; the apo A/apo B ratio was lower in group C than in group A.
Differences in apo B and in apo A/apo B ratio were found between groups A
and B. No correlation between lipid parameters and amount of albuminuria
was observed. Significant differences in lipid concentrations were also
found in diabetic patients when compared with nondiabetic subjects with
albuminuria and with healthy subjects. The present study confirmed previous
reports of lipid disorders in insulin-dependent (type I) diabetes; however,
the most important observation was the finding of albuminuria-related
differences in lipid parameters in diabetic patients without renal failure.
We think that the greater lipid abnormalities observed in diabetic patients
with larger amounts of albuminuria might be the consequence both of
impairment of glomerular permeability and of the diabetic state.