Self-monitoring of triglycerides by type 2 diabetic patients: variability in fasting and postprandial levels.
Triglycerides are an important risk factor for coronary heart disease in Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes mellitus. Although Type 2 diabetic patients have an exaggerated postprandial triglyceride response to a fat meal test, little is known about the variability of triglyceride concentrations in day-to-day life. We have studied the variability in triglyceride concentrations in 24 Type 2 diabetic patients over 6 months by having them record fasting and postprandial triglyceride concentrations at home using a Reflotron dry chemistry analyser. All patients were able to use the analyser effectively, with a correlation of 0.97 between patients' monthly Reflotron readings and those recorded by the laboratory. Over 1600 measurements were performed. The results demonstrate a large variation in both fasting (median 1.95 mmol l-1, range 0.8-6.7 mmol l-1) and postprandial triglyceride concentrations (median 2.68 mmol l-1, range 0.8-6.7 mmol l-1). This variation was accounted for by both a large intra- and inter-individual variation. Although there was a strong correlation overall between fasting and postprandial triglyceride concentrations r = 0.925 (p < 0.001), this did not apply on an individual basis. In conclusion, the large variability in triglyceride concentrations should be considered before introducing pharmacological therapy for hypertriglyceridaemia in Type 2 diabetes mellitus.
Stewart
M W
MW
Department of Medicine, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
Albers
C
C
Laker
M F
MF
Hattemer
A
A
Alberti
K G
KG
D015992:Body Mass Index; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood*; D003927:Diet, Diabetic; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D019518:Postprandial Period; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012648:Self Care; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*
D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D014280:Triglycerides