Lipoprotein(a) in diabetic patients with and without chronic renal failure.

Objective: To examine the distribution of Lp(a) plasma levels in patients with IDDM and NIDDM, and in nondiabetic and IDDM patients with chronic renal failure.

Research Design And Methods: Cross-sectional study of Lp(a) plasma levels in a population of diabetic patients with stable metabolic control, with simultaneous determination of plasma lipids, fasting plasma glucose, and HbA1. Thirty-six patients with IDDM, 90 with NIDDM, and 41 with chronic renal failure (20 IDDM, 21 nondiabetic) were compared with 78 control subjects.

Results: Lp(a) plasma levels were significantly higher in IDDM and NIDDM patients, as well as in nondiabetic and IDDM patients with chronic renal failure compared with control subjects. No correlation was observed between Lp(a) and lipid plasma levels, fasting plasma glucose, and HbA1.

Conclusions: Lp(a) may contribute to the increased prevalence of atherosclerotic disease in diabetic patients and patients with chronic renal failure, especially in IDDM patients whose lipoprotein pattern was not different from that of the control group.