Apolipoproteins A-I and B in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus

In recent years apolipoproteins A-I and B examinations have been performed on patients with coronary artery disease as a better predictor of the severity of atherosclerosis. In the present study, 21 treated male and 22 treated female patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) were examined and compared with controls of the same sex, age and body mass (23 males, 21 females). Cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol in male and female patients with NIDDM were significantly higher than in male and female controls. HDL-cholesterol in male and female patients with NIDDM was not different from those of male and female controls. Apolipoproteins A-I and B in male and female patients with NIDDM were higher than in male and female controls. [Apolipoproteins A-I (g/L) male 1.40 +/- 0.21 vs 1.25 +/- 0.15, p less than 0.005; female 1.56 +/- 0.23 vs 1.42 +/- 0.24, p less than 0.025. Apolipoproteins B (g/L) male 1.29 +/- 0.30 vs 0.97 +/- 0.22, p less than 0.001; female 1.34 +/- 0.34 vs 0.98 +/- 0.35, p less than 0.001.] Discrepancy between the higher apolipoprotein A-I and the normal HDL-cholesterol in in NIDDM supports the theory of altered composition of HDL particles in diabetic patients. The controversy between the higher apolipoprotein A-I and the higher incidence of atherosclerosis in patients with NIDDM makes the clinical usefulness of this laboratory measurement doubtful in these patients.