Plasma lipoprotein (a) levels in Turkish NIDDM patients with and without vascular diabetic complications

Objective - Plasma concentrations of lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)], an independen t risk factor for atherosclerosis, were measured in 59 non-insulin-dependen t diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) patients with and without vascular complication s, and 21 non-diabetic healthy subjects. Results - The plasma log I-p(a) levels were found to be significantly incre ased in the NIDDM patients (1.40 +/- 0.36) compared with;che healthy subjec ts (1.02 +/- 0.53; p < 0.05). Plasma Lp(a) levels in NIDDM patients with di abetic vascular complications (1.51 +/- 0.27) were significantly higher tha n those of the NIDDM patients without diabetic vascular complications (1.23 +/- 0.43) and healthy subjects (p < 0.05). There were significant correlat ions between plasma log Lp(a) levels and apolipoprotein B (apo B) in all NI DDM patients (r: 0.68, p < 0.05). No correlation was observed between Lp(a) levels and age, sex, duration of diabetes, fasting blood glucose, haemoglo bin Alc, the mode of treatment, triglycerides, total cholesterol, low-densi ty lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and apoli poprotein Al levels in all patients. Conclusions - It was concluded that Lp(a) was a risk factor for angiopathy in NIDDM patients and the patients who have a high plasma Lp(a) concentrati on should be kept under strict glycaemic control.