Body mass index and glycemic control influence lipoproteins in children with type 1 diabetes

Patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) have an extremely high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. It is well known that dyslipidemia is a subclinical manifestation of atherosclerosis.

To analyze presence and predicting factors of lipoprotein abnormalities prevalent in children with T1DM and whether race-specific differences exist between non-Hispanic white (NHW) and non-Hispanic black (NHB) in the lipoprotein characteristics.

A retrospective electronic chart review including 600 (123 NHB and 477 NHW) T1DM patients aged 7.85 ± 3.75 years who underwent lipoprotein analysis.

Relative to NHW counterparts, NHB T1DM subjects had a higher HbA1c, total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c), apoB 100, lipoprotein (a), and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), HDL-2, and HDL-3. Body mass index (BMI) was positively associated with TC, LDL-c, apoB 100, and non-HDL-c and inversely associated with HDL, HDL-2, and HDL-3. HbA1c was positively associated with TC, LDL-c, apoB 100, non-HDL-c, and HDL-3. Multilinear regression analysis demonstrated that HbA1c was positively associated with apoB 100 in both NHB and NHW, and BMI was a positive determinant of apoB 100 in NHW only.

Poor glycemic control and high BMI may contribute to abnormal lipoprotein profiles. Glycemic control (in NHB and NHW) and weight management (in NHW) may have significant implications in T1DM. ApoB 100 concentrations in subjects with T1DM were determined by modifiable risk factors, BMI, HbA1C, and blood pressure, indicating the importance of adequate weight, glycemic, and blood pressure control for better diabetes care and likely lower CVD risk.