Correlation between Glycated Hemoglobin and Serum Lipids in Type 2 Diabetics in Eastern Libya

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes is an increasingly common metabolic disorder characterized by hyperglycemia resulting from defects in insulin secretion, insulin action, or both. Diabetes mellitus is frequently associated with dyslipidemia and an increased percentage of glycated hemoglobin. Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus are at increased risk for cardiovascular complications.

Objective: To assess the relationship between glycemic control (as reflected by glycated hemoglobin; HbA1c) and serum lipid profile in type 2 diabetic patients.

Materials and Methods: A total of 60 patients were selected from those attending Diabetes Mellitus Clinic, Seventeenth of February Teaching Hospital, Al- Baida as outpatients. The subjects were divided into 3 groups such as group I as the control group, group II as the diabetic group with all related complications excluded and group III as those with type 2 DM with atleast cardiovascular event in the last two years considered as cardiovascular complication of DM. Blood samples were collected from all the subjects and tested for glucose level, glycated hemoglobin, total cholesterol, triglycerides and HDL cholesterol using authenticated reagents kits on an auto analyzer. LDL cholesterol was calculated using Friedwald’s formula.

Results: The levels of glycated hemoglobin (p<0.0001), fasting glucose level (p<0.0001) and triglycerides (p<0.0001), were significantly raised and HDL cholesterol (p<0.0001) is found to have significantly decreased in diabetic patients with or without cardiovascular complications. In those patients with diabetic complications, total cholesterol and low density lipoprotein cholesterol were significantly raised and high density lipoprotein cholesterol significantly decreased when compared to control subjects.

Conclusion: The findings of the study showed significant positive correlation between glycated hemoglobin with the levels of total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol in both control and diabetic groups with or without complications. Glycated hemoglobin level was significant and positively correlated with total cholesterol and triglycerides in type 2 DM.