Abstract

Aim: To establish that lipid profile is important marker and can be used to predict severity of diabetes mellitus and onset of complications.

Design: Retrospective study done at Darbhanga Medical College, Bihar from December 2004- January 2009.

Materials and Methods: 100 patients with diabetes mellitus having age between 20yrs to 60 yrs age were included in the study. Among these there were 62 %( n=62) male patients and 38% (n=38) female patients with diabetes mellitus.

24 control cases were investigated in similar manner. Among these there were 66% (n=16) males and 33 %( n=8) females.

After taking informed consent, their serum samples were assessed for blood glucose level 2 hours after 50 gm oral glucose, fasting total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) , high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) and VLDL(very low density lipoproteins)  by using standard biochemical methods.

The values of various parameters of lipid profile were statistically analyzed in diabetic patients and control group.

Results

1. Lipid profile in control group:

• Serum triglyceride level ranged from 40-128mg% with mean value of 86.33 ± 24.13 S.D.
• Serum HDL level ranged from 55-75mg/100ml with mean value of 65 mg/100ml.
• Serum total cholesterol level ranged from 150-250mg/100ml with mean value 200mg/100ml
• Serum LDL level ranged from 87-144.4 mg/100ml with mean value of 115.7mg/100ml.
• Serum VLDL level ranged from 8-37mg/dl with mean value of 22.8mg/100ml.
• Mean value of serum triglyceride in male (n=16) and that in female (n=8) were 84.34 ± 27.78 S.D. and 91.2 ± 16.95 S.D. respectively.

2 .Lipid profile in diabetes mellitus patients:

• Serum triglyceride level ranged from 88-226mg% with mean value of 136.50 ± 30.88 S.D.
• Serum HDL level ranged from 28-48 mg/100ml with mean value of 38 mg/100ml.
• Serum total cholesterol level ranged from 205.4-294.4 mg/100ml with mean value of 249.9
• Serum LDL level ranged from 135-225mg/dl with mean value of 180.3mg/100ml
• Serum VLDL level ranged from 17.6-45.2mg/100ml with mean value of 31.4mg/dl
• Mean serum total cholesterol, triglyceride; HDL, VLDL AND LDL concentration was 226±23, 40±7, 35±6 and 148±26

3. Lipid profile level and duration of illness:

• Serum triglyceride levels are higher in patients with duration of illness more than 4 yrs (138mg% ± 26.75 S.D. and 147.1mg% ± 22.19 S.D. ) as compared to those whose duration of illness was less than 4 years ( 126.3mg% ± 24.66 S.D. and 113.8 ± 14.49 S.D.)

1. Lipid profile level and severity of illness:

      Severity was decided on basis of ketone bodies in urine and levels of blood sugar.

• Serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL and VLDL level was significantly raised in diabetics with ketoacidosis (n=14) with mean value of 179.42mg% ± 28.93, 263.1 mg%,199.5 mg% and 54.7 mg%  than that of diabetics without ketoacidosis (n=86) with mean value of 129.86mg% ± 26.65, 249.9mg%, 150.3mg% and 26.6 mg %.

Keywords:  Lipid profile, diabetes mellitus