[Atherogenic index of plasma is associated with carotid intima-media thickness in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship of atherogenic index of plasma (AIP), an indirect indicator of LDL particle size, to carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among Chinese Han nationality population. METHODS: One hundred and seventy-nine type 2 diabetic patients and 87 healthy subjects from a population of Chinese Han nationality were included. The AIP is the logarithmically transformed ratio of TG/HDL-c, which may serve as a surrogate method for assessing LDL particle size. The carotid IMT, as a surrogate continuous variable for macroangiopathy, was measured by B-mode ultrasonography in type 2 diabetic patients. The patients with T2DM were divided into three subgroups according to the IMT: IMT < or = 0.65 mm, 0.65 mm < IMT < or = 1.1 mm and IMT > 1.1 mm. The Student-t test, one-way analysis of variance, univariate and multivariate analyses were implemented. RESULTS: (1) In T2DM group the values of triglyeeride (TG) and AIP were significantly higher than those in control group respectively, and the HDL-c value of T2DM group was significantly lower than that of control group. (2) There was significant difference in the age, body mass index (BMI), waist-hip ratio (WHR), the duration of DM, triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), LDL-c, HDL-c, HbAlc, TG/HDL-c and AIP among the three subgroups; the HDL-c value was inversely related to the IMT of T2DM, and all the other risk factors were positively related to the IMT of T2DM. (3) Multivariate analysis by linear regression showed that the value of AIP was an important risk factor in the pathogenesis and progress of IMT in patients with T2DM. CONCLUSION: AIP value, an indirect indicator of LDL particle size, is an important risk factor in pathogenesis and progress of IMT in patients with T2DM.