LIPID PATTERN, APOLIPOPROTEIN-A(1) AND APOLIPOPROTEIN-B AND LIPOPROTEIN(A) IN TYPE-1 DIABETIC-PATIENTS WITH MICROALBUMINURIA

The plasma lipid changes commonly observed in patients with diabetic n ephropathy may play a major role in determining the increased cardiova scular risk in these patients. Contrasting results have been reported on the patterns of lipids and lipoproteins in diabetic subjects with m icroalbuminuria. We examined 20 patients with type 1 (insulin-dependen t) diabetes who had a urinary albumin excretion > 30 mg/24 h (11 males and 9 females, age range 16-45 years, mean diabetes duration 11.7 yea rs) and 20 type 1 diabetic patients without microalbuminuria matched f or sex, age, diabetes duration, daily insulin requirement and degree o f metabolic control. In all patients we measured plasma total choleste rol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, triglycerides, apolip oproteins A1 and B and lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)]. No significant differe nces were found for any parameter between subjects with a urinary albu min excretion < 20 mg/24 h and microalbuminuric patients. Moreover in non-diabetic controls the levels of plasma Lp(a) and of the other para meters measured were not significantly different from those of the two diabetic groups. Our results suggest that in type 1 diabetic patients with fairly good glycaemic control microalbuminuria is not associated with significant changes in the lipoprotein pattern.