Lipid and lipoprotein aberrations in Indian patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes in the young

The present study was undertaken to examine the lipid and lipoprotein status of 85 Indian patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes in the young (NIDDY) and 85 matched Indian controls. There were no significant differences between patients and controls with regard to total serum cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol or apoprotein A-I (apo A-I) levels. However, serum triglyceride and apoprotein B (apo B) levels (females only) were significantly higher and serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol levels significantly lower in the NIDDY patients than in the controls. Serum triglyceride values correlated significantly with glycosylated haemoglobin levels (r = 0.23), HDL cholesterol (r = -0.37) and apo B levels (r = 0.42). The hypertriglyceridaemia and increased apo B levels appeared to emanate from the very-low-density lipoprotein class. Since HDL cholesterol levels were decreased and apo A-I levels were normal, these findings could be interpreted as reflecting an abnormal HDL composition. Obesity did not appear to have a significant influence on the lipid and lipoprotein abnormalities manifested by the patients in this study.