Relation of abnormal composition of lipoproteins to HbA1c levels in non-insulin dependent diabetes.

Plasma lipids and VLDL and HDL composition were studied in a control group of 20 non diabetic subjects and in 31 male middle-age patients with non-insulin dependent diabetes treated by oral hypoglycemic agent glibenclamide and a weight maintaining diet. Data for the diabetics were separated based on haemoglobin A1c of less or greater than 7%. VLDL composition abnormalities were more frequent in the diabetic patients with HbA1c of > 7%. VLDL-cholesterol, VLDL-triglycerides and VLDL-phospholipids were high in all diabetics whereas VLDL-apo B increased only in diabetics with HbA1c > 7%. Apo CII and apo CIII levels and also apo CII/apo CIII ratio were also reduced in the diabetic patients with HbA1c levels of more than 7%. Increases in the apo E and apo E/apo C ratio were also seen in the more hyperglycemic diabetics with HbA1c levels > 7%. In contrast apo CII and apo CIII levels and also Apo CII/Apo CIII ratio remained unaltered in diabetic patients with less than 7% HbA1c levels. In these patients increases in the apo E levels were found while the apo E/apo C ratio remained unaltered. All diabetic patients showed increases in HDL-triglycerides and triglyceride/total cholesterol ratio with respect to control. Decreases in HDL-apo AI were also seen in both groups of diabetics, but the HDL-apo AI/HDL-apo AII ratio did not differ from control.