EVALUATION OF LIPID AND LIPOPROTEIN PROFILE IN PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES

Objective: To evaluate the pattern of lipid and lipoprotein profile in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Methods: In this prospective study, which was carried out in Basrah, Southern Iraq, serum concentrations of glucose “fasting blood sugar” (FBS), total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG) and very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL-C) were measured in 92 patients (43 males and 49 females) with T2D and 120 control subjects (35 males and 85 females). Results: Patients with T2D have significantly higher serum concentrations of TC, LDL-C, TG, VLDL-C and LDLC/HDL-C ratio (P<0.001) and significantly lower HDL-C serum concentration (P<0.001) compared to control subjects. Male patients with T2D showed significantly higher TC, LDL-C serum concentrations and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio in comparison to control subjects (P<0.001), while serum HDL-C concentration was significantly lower among T2D patients compared to controls (P<0.001). No significant differences were seen in serum TG and VLDL-C concentrations between male patients and control subjects (P>0.05). In females, serum levels of TC, LDL-C, TG, VLDL-C, and LDL-C/ HDL-C ratio were significantly higher (P<0.001), and serum HDL-C level was significantly lower (P<0.05) in patients with T2D than in control subjects. Conclusion: T2D has marked effects on lipid and lipoprotein profile causing a diversity of dyslipidaemia, that might lead to atherosclerosis, and hence, increasing the risk of coronary heart disease.