Association of coronary heart disease with serum lipid and apolipoprotein concentrations in long-term diabetes. Results of the Erfurt study

Apolipoprotein profile in type II diabetic patients with and without coronary heart disease

Diabetes mellitus is frequently associated with lipid metabolism abnormalities. In the present study the lipid and apolipoprotein profiles have been compared in type II diabetic subjects with (n = 30) and without (n = 30) coronary heart disease (CHD). All subjects were studied after good metabolic control had been achieved. Significant differences in plasma lipids and apolipoproteins were seen in diabetic patients with CHD in comparison with diabetics without CHD. Patients with CHD presented higher total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol, apo B, apo CII and apo CIII levels and total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol HDL-cholesterol ratios and lower HDL-cholesterol values and apo A1/apo B ratio than the patients without CHD. The same findings were found in females; while male subjects with CHD had significantly increased total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and apo B levels and total cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol/HDL-cholesterol ratios and significantly decreased apo A1/apo B ratio compared with males without CHD. These findings support the concept that the apolipoprotein profile plays a remarkable role as risk factor for CHD in type II diabetes mellitus.