Lipoprotein(a) concentrations in type I diabetes mellitus

OBJECTIVES: To determine the distribution of lipoprotein(a) levels and prevalence of hyperLp(a) in diabetes mellitus type I (IDDM). To analyze the effect of glycemic control and microalbuminuria on Lp(a) levels. METHODS: Cross-sectional study of 263 subjects with IDDM with a mean age of 19.2 +/- 11.6 years and an evolutive course of 6.3 +/- 6.5 years. Apart from Lp(a), measurements were obtained from serum levels of lipids, apolipoproteins AI and B, fructosamine, glycosilated hemoglobin (HbA1c), and albuminuria in all patients. RESULTS: Mean serum concentrations of Lp(a) were 16.5 +/- 18.1 mg/dl and 18.5% of patients had Lp(a) levels > 30 mg/dl [hyperLp(a)]. With a multivariate regression analysis, the only variable correlated with Lp(a) levels was cholesterol LDL (p < 0.001). Patients with hyperLp(a) did not differ from the other patients in any of the other variables analyzed, and patients with HbA1c higher and lower than 8% had similar mean serum Lp(a) concentrations (14.0 +/- 16 vs. 17.9 +/- 20). Lp(a) concentration was also similar among patients with albuminuria higher and lower than 20 micrograms/min (16.6 +/- 20 vs. 17.7 +/- 16). CONCLUSIONS: Control of glycemia and microalbuminuria have no effect on Lp(a) concentrations in diabetes mellitus type I. HyperLp(a) is not indicative of a poor glycemic control.