Abstract
Individuals with a small band at the α side of β lipoproteins are often detected by PAG discelectrophoresis especially in diabetes mellitus (DM) patients. We characterized this particle and investigated the effect of the DM condition on the appearance of the particle and its relation to diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy. The subjects were 167 nondiabetic persons (control) and 112 DM patients. Electron microscopy and gel filtration studies showed that fast β lipoprotein was the smallest among LDL subfractions. The incidence of fast β lipoprotein in DM subjects was 4.8 times higher than that in control subjects. In controls, fast β lipoprotein-positive subjects had higher TG and lower HDL-C levels than those in negative subjects. TC and Lp (a) levels were not significantly different among those subjects. In DM patients, the positive subjects did not have higher TG levels, only lower HDL-C levels, than negative subjects. TC, Lp (a) and HbA1c levels were not significantly different among them. Fast β lipoprotein had a tendency to coexist with the midband. Incidences of fast β lipoproteins in patients with diabetic retinopathy and nephropathy were higher than those in patients complications. Fast β lipoproteins were greatly increased by the DM condition and might be involved in the development of retinopathy and nephropathy.
