The association of hyperlipidemia with retinopathy in diabetic patients aged 15-50 years in the county of Umea

Purpose: To study possible associations between serum lipid levels and degr ee of retinopathy in a population-based study on a specific age-group of pa tients with diabetes mellitus in the county of Umea, Sweden. Methods: All patients with diabetes mellitus aged 15-50 years living in the county of Umea were invited to the study. The participating subjects had a standard clinical examination and an eye examination performed. Seven-fiel d stereoscopic photographs were taken of each eye, and the photos were sent to Grading Center, Hammersmith Hospital, London, U.K. for grading of the r etinopathy. Blood samples were drawn for analysis of lipoprotein(a), high d ensity lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, cholesterol and triglycerides. Univar iate and multivariate statistical analyses mere performed. Results: In the present study only patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus m ere included, and 285 of the invited 308 diabetic subjects (93%) took part. When univariate analysis was applied we found statistically significant as sociations between higher lipoprotein(a) levels, higher triglyceride levels , higher cholesterol levels, lower HDL cholesterol/total cholesterol ratios and increasing severeness of retinopathy: However, in the multivariate ana lysis triglyceride levels lost their importance while all other significant associations were still present. Conclusion: Associations were found between higher levels of serum total ch olesterol, declining ratios of high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol/t otal cholesterol, higher levels of serum lipoprotein(a) and more severe ret inopathy in diabetes mellitus type 1. No such association was found between serum triglycerides and degree of retinopathy.