LIPOPROTEIN POSTPRANDIAL RESPONSE TO A BALANCED MEAL IN NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETIC-PATIENTS BEFORE AND AFTER IMPROVEMENT OF GLYCEMIC CONTROL

Background and Aim: Fasting and postprandial lipids and lipoproteins w ere examined in non-insulin dependent diabetic patients before and aft er improvement of metabolic control. Methods and Results: Postprandial lipoprotein patters were analysed in patients after they had consumed meals reflecting current dietary guidelines. Analyses were performed in poorly controlled patients and repeated after improvement of metabo lic control. Fasting and postprandial plasma triglyceride concentratio ns were significantly lower in patients with improved metabolic contro l. Plasma cholesterol levels were also significantly lower in post-tre atment patients but changes to the distribution of low density lipopro tein subfractions were of a qualitative nature. Conclusions: The incre mental postprandial rises in triglycerides and VLDL subfractions were not influenced by improved metabolic control under the dietary conditi ons employed. This suggests that the relevance of metabolic control to postprandial hypertriglyceridemia in the present study, where the pos tprandial challenge was effected with meals reflecting current dietary guidelines, would appear to lie in the extent to which it may influen ce fasting triglyceride levels. (C) 1998, Medikal Press.