RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ANGIOGRAPHICALLY ASSESSED CORONARY-ARTERY DISEASE, PLASMA-INSULIN LEVELS AND LIPIDS IN ASIANS AND CAUCASIANS

In the present study the association between angiographically demonstr ated coronary artery disease lipid subfractions and insulin in Caucasi ans, Asian migrants to the UK and Asians in India was studied. Patient s having at least one angiographic lesion of more than 50% were recrui ted and angiograms scored by two independent observers, blindly. There were 87 Caucasian, 83 British Asian and 30 Indian Asian patients. Lip id subfractions measured were cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, triglyceri de, apo Al, apo B, Lp(a). Estimation of glucose and insulin was carrie d out at fasting and after two hours of oral 75 g glucose. Asians were younger than Caucasians. They did not differ in their body mass index , systolic and diastolic blood pressure or cigarette consumption.-In a ll three ethnic groups-cholesterol, LDL cholesterol and apo B showed s ignificant positive association. Insulin levels at fasting or post glu cose challenge failed to show any association. Apo B may be an additio nal marker for coronary artery disease in the ethnic groups studied.