Abstract
The levels of alpha lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and beta lipoprotein (VLDL and LDL) cholesterol in diabetics were studied in relation to various pathological conditions. Each lipoprotein cholesterol was determined by the gas chromatography of extracts of fractions separated by agarose gel electrophoresis.
Results. The levels of alpha lipoprotein cholesterol (α-cho) were 55.2±16.1 mg/dl in controls (n=103) and 45. 9±15. 5 mg/dl in diabetics (n = 199). The ratio of α-cho to β-cho (α-cho/β-cho) was 0.46±0.20 in controls and 0.35±0.16 in diabetics. The incidence of high α-cho (exceeding 70 mg/dl) was significantly less in diabetics. In addition to substantial metabolic disorders of glucose, factors which may have led to a reduction of α-cho included poorly controlled hyperglycemia, obesity, advanced retinopathy and nephropathy which was recognized from proteinuria. Low levels of α-cho or α-cho/β-cho may be one of the causes of macroangiopathy (atherosclerosis), butwhether this might be a cause of microangiopathy (retinopathy, nephropathy, etc.) remains to be determined.
