1Department of Biochemistry, University College of Medical Science and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital (University of Delhi), Delhi
2Department of Medicine, University College of Medical Science and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital (University of Delhi), Delhi
*Corresponding author: E-mail: seegarg@yahoo.com
Online published on 16 April, 2015.
The patients of type 2 diabetes are prone to develop dyslipidemia which is characterised as triad of hypertriglyceridemia, low HDL-C and dense LDL. Most of the research is concentrated towards the patients with well-established diabetes of long duration. We aimed to evaluate the lipid profile during early stages of the disease in patients of type 2 diabetes.
Blood samples from patients (n=40) with a history of <6 months, diagnosed for the first time in our hospital and healthy controls (n=40) were processed for plasma glucose (fasting and post prandial), lipid profile and other routine biochemical parameters before any treatment was started. Statistical analysis was carried out by using students’ ‘t’ test and Pearson correlation analysis.
There was no significant difference in the lipid profile of patients and controls except HDL-C. Patients of type 2 diabetes had significantly low (p<0.03) level of HDL-C. Though triglycerides (TGs) levels were not significantly different in the two groups, a negative correlation was observed between HDL-C and TGs in patient group.
In early stage of the disease it is the HDL-C level that is altered rather than other lipid profile parameters. Low HDL-C is probably an early indicator of setting in of dyslipidemia. Since there is a negative correlation between HDL-C and TGs in patients, it appears that reducing the TG levels may also raise HDL-C in these patients.
Dyslipidemia, lipid profile, early type 2 diabetes
