Lack of Relationship of Glycated Haemoglobin with Lipids in Non- Insulin Dependent Diabetics with Proteinuria*

Cardiovascular morbidity and morality is higher in diabetics with proteinuria. The causative factors for such incidence are as yet not known. We studied lipid profiles among non-insulindependent diabetics with proteinuria who otherwise have normal blood urea and serum creatinine concentrations and compared the results with those who did not have proteinuria. Twenty four-hour protein estimations were done in the proteinuric group. Glycated haemoglobin (GHb) was estimated in all subjects and the Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated between GHb and the lipid fractions. Total cholesterol (TC) and triglycerides (TG) were higher and HDL cholesterol concentrations were lower in diabetics with proteinuria but the statistical significance was obtained only for TG in women on sexwise analysis. Diabetics without proteinuria (n=53): TC= 222.6 ± 6.5, TG = 196.1 ± 15.7, HDLC : 52.6 ± 2.3; diabetics with proteinuria (n = 36) : TC = 230.8 ± 7.4; TG = 218.4 ± 16.0; HDLC = 48.0 ± 2.6 (all data are mean ± S.E. and mg/dl). The correlations of GHb to lipid fractions were not significant in diabetics with proteinuria. Neither GHb nor lipids showed significant association with 24-hr protein excreted in the proteinuria group. We conclude that the lipid profiles do not bear a relationship to the glycaemic control once proteinuria manifests.