ASSESSMENT OF OXIDIZED LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN, AS ATHEROSCLEROSIS RISK MARKER IN TYPE 1 DIABETIC CHILDREN WITH SHORT HISTORY OF DIABETES MELLITUS

Abstract

Background: To evaluate the type-1 diabetic children for early atherosclerosis risk by measuring serum oxidized lipoprotein in relation with glycaemic control. Recent studies indicate that systemic markers of inflammation can identify subjects at high risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Oxidized low density lipoprotein (OxLDL) levels have been regarded as one of the independent determinants of atherosclerosis. Methods: This cross sectional study involved a total 79 subjects including 39 type 1 diabetics and 40 non-diabetic controls between the ages of 9 to 16 years. A detailed medical history was taken from each subject and the individuals with history of type-1 diabetes underwent clinical examination. Individuals with obesity, hypertension, smoking, and chronic infections, autoimmune and renal diseases were excluded. Serum concentrations of glucose and lipid profile were measured in duplicate by kits based on enzymatic methods. OxLDL was measured in duplicate by using standard enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method. Haemoglobin A_1c and Body mass index (BMI) were also measured. Results: Diabetic patients had significantly elevated levels of blood glucose (320.1vs 97) and HbA1c (10.3% vs 5.21%) as compared to controls (p<0.001) but the serum levels of OXLDL were not found to be significantly elevated in diabetic children (222.4 vs 140.2) as compared to controls (p>0.05). Conclusion: OxLDL is a strong independent risk marker for atherosclerosis observed in diagnosed old age patients of CVD but in present study we could not find statistically significant elevated levels of OxLDL in young diabetic subjects with short duration of diabetes.