Apolipoprotein B levels in adults with type 1 diabetes not receiving lipid-lowering therapy

Objectives: To investigate apolipoprotein B (apoB) levels in adult patients with type 1 diabetes with no history of cardiovascular disease and not receiving lipid-lowering therapy. Design and methods: Subjects (n = 169) were divided into two groups based on gender. Primary analysis examined lipid parameters and glycosylated hemoglobin. Secondary analysis involved classifying patients according to the Canadian Diabetes Association's (CDA) LDL cholesterol and apoB targets. Results: Mean apoB levels were 0.81 +/- 0.17 g/L in males and 0.78 +/- 0.18 g/L in females. We also found that among patients who failed to achieve the CDA LDL cholesterol target, 46% of males and 54% of females met the apoB target. Conclusions: There is low prevalence of elevated apoB among patients with type 1 diabetes. In addition, there is discordance between the proportions of patients meeting either LDL cholesterol or apoB targets, thus a significant number of patients may be prescribed lipid-lowering medications unnecessarily. (C) 2009 The Canadian Society of Clinical Chemists. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.