Presse Med
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The pathogenesis of premature atherosclerosis in diabetic patients has not yet been fully elucidated, but it seems to be related to changes in circulating lipoproteins and to a poor metabolic balance. In this study plasma levels of triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), HDL- and LDL-cholesterols, apolipoproteins (Apo) A1 and B were measured in 120 young patients aged from 4 to 32 years (mean +/- 1 SD: 17 +/- 6 years) whose diabetes had been present for a mean period of 10 +/- 6 years (range: less than one year to 25 years). The results obtained were analysed in relation to glycosylated haemoglobin (N: 6.8 +/- 0.6 per cent) and plasma fructosamine (N: 1.9 +/- 0.2 mmol/l) levels. ⋯ These parameters were significantly correlated with HbA1 (p less than 0.01) and even more significantly with fructosamine (p less than 0.001). No significant difference in HDL-C and ApoA1 levels was found in the 3 groups of patients. Thus, TG, TC, LDL-C and ApoB are increased in young diabetics whose HbA1 and fructosamine levels exceed reference values by more than 5 standard deviations.