Low HDL-cholesterol is common in European Type 2 diabetic patients receiving treatment for dyslipidaemia: data from a pan-European survey.
OBJECTIVE
To measure the prevalence of low high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol (men < 1.03 mmol/l; women < 1.29 mmol/l) in European Type 2 diabetic patients receiving treatment for dyslipidaemia.


METHODS
The pan-European Survey of HDL-cholesterol measured lipids and other cardiovascular risk factors in 3866 patients with Type 2 diabetes and 4436 non-diabetic patients undergoing treatment for dyslipidaemia in 11 European countries.


RESULTS
Diabetic patients were more likely to be obese or hypertensive than non-diabetic patients. Most patients received lifestyle interventions (87%) and/or a statin (89%); treatment patterns were similar between groups. Diabetic patients had [means (SD)] lower HDL-cholesterol [1.22 (0.37) vs. 1.35 mmol/l (0.44) vs. non-diabetic patients, P < 0.001] and higher triglycerides [2.32 (2.10) vs. 1.85 mmol/l (1.60), P < 0.001]. More diabetic vs. non-diabetic patients had low HDL-cholesterol (45% vs. 30%), high triglycerides (> or = 1.7 mmol/l; 57% vs. 42%) or both (32% vs. 19%). HDL-cholesterol < 0.9 mmol/l was observed in 18% of diabetic and 12% of non-diabetic subjects. Differences between diabetic and non-diabetic groups were slightly greater for women. LDL- and total cholesterol were lower in the diabetic group [3.02 (1.05) vs. 3.30 mmol/l (1.14) and 5.12 (1.32) vs. 5.38 mmol/l (1.34), respectively, P < 0.001 for each].


CONCLUSIONS
Low HDL-cholesterol is common in diabetes: one in two diabetic women has low HDL-cholesterol and one diabetic man in four has very low HDL-cholesterol. Management strategies should include correction of low HDL-cholesterol to optimize cardiovascular risk in diabetes.
Bruckert
E
E
Groupe Hospitalier Pitié-Salpêtrière, Paris, France.
Baccara-Dinet
M
M
Eschwege
E
E
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D003925:Diabetic Angiopathies / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000628:therapy; D005060:Europe / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides