Changes in glucose-related parameters according to LDL-cholesterol concentration ranges in non-diabetic patients

The study focused on the changes in C-peptide, glycemia, insulin concentration, and insulin resistance according to LDL-cholesterol concentration ranges. The metabolic profile of individuals in the Czech Republic (n = 1840) was classified by quartiles of LDL-cholesterol into four groups with the following ranges: 0.46-2.45 (n = 445), 2.46-3.00 (n = 474), 3.01-3.59 (n = 459), and 3.60-7.18 mmol/l (n = 462). The level of glucose, C-peptide, insulin, and area of parameters during OGTT and HOMA IR were compared with a relevant LDL-cholesterol range. The evaluation involved correlations between LDL-cholesterol and the above parameters, F-test and t-test. Generally, mean values of glucose homeostasis-related parameters were higher with increasing LDL-cholesterol levels, except for mean HOMA IR values which rapidly increased (2.7-3.4) between LDL-cholesterol ranges of 3.00-3.59 and 3.60-7.18 mmol/l. Glucose, C-peptide, insulin concentrations, and the area of parameters reached greater changes especially after glucose load during OGTT (p ≤ 0.001). Considerable changes were already observed for the above parameters between groups with LDL-cholesterol ranges of 2.46-3.00 and 3.01-3.59 mmol/l. HOMA IR increased with higher LDL-cholesterol concentrations, but the differences in mean values were not statistically significant. Most important differences appeared in glucose metabolism at LDL-cholesterol concentrations of 3.60-7.18 mmol/l in comparison to LDL-cholesterol lower ranges. In particular, the areas of C-peptide, glucose, and insulin ranges showed statistically significant differences between all groups with growing LDL-cholesterol ranges. The variances of HOMA IR statistically differed between groups created according to LDL-cholesterol concentrations ranges.