Serum lipids in Nigerians: the effect of diabetes mellitus.

The triacylglycerols and cholesterol in the sera of a group of Nigerian diabetics were found to be higher than in a corresponding control group, but did not exceed the range normal to Caucasians. The total cholesterol and HDL-cholesterol in the normal Nigerians were both lower than the levels reported for Caucasians although the value for the ratio total cholesterol: HDL-cholesterol did not differ. A low level of HDL-cholesterol in the blood is not in itself an indicator of atheroma. If the total cholesterol is also low, as occurs in the African, the distribution of the cholesterol between the lipoprotein classes is not disturbed.