Lipid abnormalities are prevalent in youth with type 1 and type 2 diabetes: The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study

Objective Assessment of the prevalence of serum lipid abnormalities in US youth with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Study design The SEARCH for Diabetes in Youth Study was a cross-sectional, population-based study, conducted in six centers. Subjects were 2448 youth with diabetes who had a study examination. Outcome measures were fasting measures of total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), triglycerides, and non-HDL-C. Analysis was descriptive. Results The overall prevalence of high TC concentration (> 240 mg/dL) was 5%; the overall prevalence of high LDL-C (> 160 mg/dL) was 3%, and the overall prevalence of high triglyceride (> 400 mg/dL) was 2%. About half of the participants (48%) had an LDL-C concentration above the optimal level of 100 mg/dL. Among youth ages 10+, the prevalence of abnormal lipids was higher in type 2 (n = 283) than in type 1 diabetes (n = 1963): 33% versus 19% had TC concentration > 200 mg/dL; 24% versus 15% had LDL-C concentration > 130 mg/dL; 29% versus 10% had triglyceride concentration > 150 mg/dL; 44% versus 12% had HDL-C concentration < 40 mg/dL. Only 1% of youth were receiving pharmacologic therapy for dyslipidemia. Conclusions A substantial proportion of young patients with diabetes have abnormal serum lipids.