Linking elevated HbA1c with atherogenic lipid profile among high risk cardiovascular patients at Qassim, Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The relationship between glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and an atherogenic lipid profile which is associated with a higher risk of cardiovascular disease is of interest. A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted on 83 participants aged between 14 and 77 years. Their venous blood was drawn to determine the HbA1c and fasting lipid profile including total cholesterol triglycerides and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) non-HDL cholesterol and the LDL/HDL ratio were also calculated. The correlations between HbA1c levels and these lipid profile parameters were analyzed. The study showed a significant correlation between HbA1c and LDL-C non-HDL-C and the LDL/HDL ratio. Although there was no significant difference in total cholesterol levels among all groups the levels of total cholesterol and HbA1c were positively correlated. HDL-C exhibited direct correlations with HbA1c there was no correlation between HbA1c and clinical characteristics except for age. Data shows that HbA1c can be used as a predictor of dyslipidemia in diabetic patients there is a significant correlation between HbA1c and an atherogenic lipid profile which highlights the importance of glycemic control in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Keywords: Atherogenic Lipoproteins; HbA1c; LDL cholesterol; Lipid Profile; Non-HDL cholesterol.

Figure 1

Serum concentrations of HbA1c (a), TGs (b), TC (c), HDL-C (d), LDL-C (e) and non HDL-C (f) in less than 6% group (white bar), 6-8 group (light grey bar), 8-10% (grey bar) and more than 10 % (black bar). Values are means ± SD (n = 24 for in less than 6% group, n = 26 for 6-8% group, n = 19 for 8-10% group and n = 14 for more than 10 % group). NS: not significant. *P<0.05 **P<0.01. ***P<0.001.

Figure 2

Correlation of Hb A1C versus total cholesterol (a), TGs (b), LDL-C (c), HDL-C (d) and non HDL-C (e) in all subjects.