Hyperglycemia and Plasma Lipid Levels: Covariations in Insulin-dependent Diabetes

Longitudinal relationships of plasma lipids with parameters of blood glucose control were studied in 124 young insulin-dependent diabetic patients who had multiple, simultaneous determinations of these parameters during a 1-yr period. Fluctuations in hemoglobin A₁, a cumulative measure of blood glucose control, correlated with fluctuations in total cholesterol (r = 0.19, P < 0.001) and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (r = 0.17, P < 0.001). Similarly, fluctuations in fasting blood glucose correlated with those in total cholesterol (r = 0.20, P < 0.001), very low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (r = 0.13, P = 0.002), and total triglyceride (r = 0.23, P < 0.001). These data indicate covariation between plasma lipid and blood glucose control parameters and suggest that poor blood glucose control contributes to the excess risk of coronary heart disease in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.