[Plasma lipid fractions in insulin-dependent diabetic patients. Effects of short-term control of glycaemia (author's transl)].

In order to elicitate a possible influence of short-term control of glycaemia on circulating plasma lipid fractions, the authors have endeavoured to find out: (a) whether there was a correlation between these fractions and glycosyl-haemoglobin (Hb A1) which indicates previous glycaemic balance, and (b) whether the various lipid fractions were modified by absolute control of glycaemia during a 24-hour application of artificial pancreas. They found that HbA1 correlated positively with total cholesterol and VLDL + LDL cholesterol, but not with HDL cholesterol. After 24 hours on artificial pancreas there was a significant decrease in total blood cholesterol without changes in blood triglycerides. The decrease was homogenous and concerned cholesterol concentrations in both low and high density lipoproteins. The authors conclude that the increased risk of atherosclerosis in insulin-dependent patients is in-related to a decrease in HDL cholesterol.