USA: Higher blood sugar levels in youth with type 2 diabetes are associated with abnormal LDL-C and triglycerides, reveals a recent study in the journal Pediatric Diabetes.
Previous studies have shown the presence of dyslipidemia in youth with type 2 diabetes (T2D). There is a lack of studies examining dyslipidemia over time in youth with T2D and associated risk factors.
Diabetic dyslipidemia is a cluster of lipoprotein abnormalities characterized by increased low density lipoprotein, triglyceride level and decreased high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels. It is extremely common in type 2 diabetes and is a significant risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD).
Considering the above, Ryan P. Brady, Cincinnati Children's Hospital & the University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, USA, and colleagues aimed to evaluate lipids at baseline and follow-up and associated risk factors in youth with type 2 diabetes.
For this purpose, the researchers studied 212 youth with type 2 diabetes at baseline and after an average of 7 years of follow-up in the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study. Abnormal lipids were defined as LDL-C >100, HDL-C <35, or triglycerides >150 (all mg/dL). Participants were evaluated for progression to abnormal lipids (normal lipids at baseline, abnormal at follow-up), regression (abnormal lipids at baseline, normal at follow-up), stable normal and stable abnormal lipids over time for HDL-C, LDL-C and triglycerides. They also evaluated associations between HbA1c and adiposity over time (area under the curve, AUC) with progression and stable abnormal lipids.
The research yielded the following findings:
HDL-C progressed, regressed, was stable normal, and stable abnormal in 12.3%, 11.3%, 62.3%, and 14.2% of participants, respectively.
Corresponding LDL-C percentages were 15.6%, 12.7%, 42.9% and 28.8% and triglycerides were 17.5%, 10.8%, 55.7% and 16.0%.
Each 1% increase in HbA1c AUC was associated with a 13% higher risk of progression and stable abnormal triglycerides and a 20% higher risk of progression and stable abnormal LDL-C.
Higher adiposity AUC was marginally associated with abnormal HDL-C.
Progression and stable abnormal LDL-C and triglycerides occur in youth with type 2 diabetes and are associated with higher HbA1c, concluded the authors.
Reference:
The study titled, "Glycemic Control is Associated with Dyslipidemia Over Time in Youth with Type 2 Diabetes: the SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study," is published in the journal Pediatric Diabetes.
DOI: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/pedi.13253