Plasma lipoproteins, apoproteins and cardiovascular disease in type 2 diabetic patients. A nine-year follow-up study.

BACKGROUND AND AIM

To evaluate the role of lipoprotein abnormalities as risk factors for macroangiopathy in Type 2 diabetes.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This prospective nine-year follow-up study involved 113 Type 2 diabetic patients (50 men and 63 women, mean age 66.9 +/- 9.9 years), 37 of whom had clinical signs of coronary heart disease (CHD) and cerebrovascular disease (CVD) at baseline. During the follow-up, 32 patients died: 17 of CHD, five of CVD, and 10 of non-vascular causes. The patients who died because of vascular disease were more frequently smokers, and had baseline symptoms of vascular disease; they were also significantly different from the other patients insofar as they were older, and had higher fasting plasma glucose levels, lower fasting C-peptide levels, and lower apoprotein (apo) AII, apo CII, apo CIII and apo E levels. Univariate analysis showed that baseline symptoms of vascular disease, current smoking, age, high fasting plasma glucose levels, low fasting C-peptide levels, and low apo AII, apo CII, apo CIII and apo E levels [but not cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol or qualitative low-density lipoprotein or HDL abnormalities] were associated with cardiovascular mortality. Multivariate analysis showed that only age, smoking, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and fasting C-peptide levels were significant independent determinants of macrovascular death.

CONCLUSIONS

In Type 2 normolipidemic diabetic patients, only age, smoking, HbA1c and fasting C-peptide levels are independent vascular risk factors. The differences in apo concentrations between patients with and without vascular disease may reflect qualitative abnormalities in plasma lipoproteins related to vascular disease.