Abstract
Lp (a) has been considered an independent risk factor for coronary atherosclerosis. Recent papers in the literature have demonstrated elevations of Lp (a) in diabetic subjects. The clinical significance of hyper-Lp (a)-emia as a risk factor for diabetic vascular complications, however, is still unclear. We investigated the significance of Lp (a) as a risk factor for diabetic nephropathy cross-sectionally. Lp (a) was determined in 235 NIDDM patients and 105 non diabetic controls. Diabetic subjects were classified into those with normoalbuniinuria (group N), microalbuminuria (group M) and overt nephropathy (group P).
1) Lp (a) was significantly higher in the diabetics than in the controls, and Lp (a) in the diabetic females was significantly higher than in the males.
2) In the male diabetics, Lp (a) was significanty higher in both group P and group M than in group N. In female diabetics, Lp (a) was significantly higher in group P than in group N.
3) Discriminant analysis suggested the importance of hypertension, the duration of diabetes, and Lp (a) as independent risk factors for overt nephropathy.
