AbstractsMedical & Health Science

Background: Cardiovascular disease is the most common cause of death in patients with type 1 diabetes, and the premature mortality rates are especially high in patients with diabetic nephropathy. Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of vision loss among the working-age population in industrialized countries. Early identification and aggressive treatment of risk factors are crucial to reduce the incidence of diabetic complications. Aims: To examine the relationships between lipid profiles and diabetic nephropathy, diabetic retinopathy, and incident coronary artery disease (CAD) events in a large nationwide cohort of patients with type 1 diabetes. Subjects and methods: These studies are part of the ongoing Finnish Diabetic Nephropathy Study (FinnDiane). Studies I (N=2927) and III (N=1465) have a cross-sectional design. At follow-up, renal status was verified by a review of all available medical files (Study II, N=2304), and data on CAD events were retrieved from the Finnish Hospital Discharge Register and the Causes of Death Register (Study IV, N=3520). Results: The recommended lipid concentrations of current treatment guidelines were poorly met, especially regarding the target for LDL cholesterol. Triglycerides and apolipoprotein (Apo) B were independent predictors of progression to micro- and macroalbuminuria, and total cholesterol was an independent predictor of progression to end-stage renal disease. HDL and HDL2 cholesterol were independently associated with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). In patients with PDR, the correlations between albumin excretion rate (AER) and lipid variables were strong. However, in patients without retinopathy no significant correlations were observed. In multivariate models, ApoB, triglycerides, non-HDL cholesterol, ApoB/ApoA-I ratio, and triglyceride/HDL cholesterol ratio were the strongest lipid predictors of an incident CAD event. Conclusions: Lipid abnormalities were associated with an increased risk of all three diabetic complications studied, i.e. diabetic nephropathy, retinopathy, and incident CAD events. Triglycerides and ApoB were independently associated with AER and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and predicted the progression to micro- and macroalbuminuria as well as incident CAD events. Far lower concentrations of triglycerides than the currently recommended cut-off level (less than 1.7 mmol/l) increased the risk of progression of renal disease. Total and LDL cholesterol were poor predictors of an incident CAD event in patients with normal AER, in patients with HbA1c below the median (8.3%, 67mmol/l) of the cohort, and in women, in whom the ratios of atherogenic and anti-atherogenic lipoproteins and lipids performed better. Current treatment recommendations may need to be revised to reflect residual CAD risk in patients with type 1 diabetes. Tausta: Sydän- ja verisuonitaudit ovat yleisin kuolinsyy tyypin 1 diabeetikoilla, ja ennenaikainen kuolleisuus on erityisen suuri potilailla, joilla on diabeettinen munuaistauti eli nefropatia.…