Plasma lipid levels in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

Because several recent reports have indicated a high incidence of hyperlipidemia in insulin-dependent juvenile diabetes, the plasma lipid levels were measured in a population of insulin-dependent diabetic patients to determine if hyperlipidemia is necessarily associated with diabetes. Only one patient had an elevated cholesterol concentration (greater than 220 mg. per deciliter) and two patients had an elevated triglyceride concentration (greater than 140 mg. per deciliter), giving an incidence of 6.4 per cent. A normal control group had an incidence of hyperlipidemia of 5.7 per cent. The mean cholesterol level (164 "/- 38 mg. per deciliter) of the diabetic population was significantly less than that of the normal control group (183 +/- 38 mg. per deciliter). The diabetic patients were divided into groups on the basis of 24-hour urinary glucose excretion and records of glycosuria. The serum triglyceride of the patients in group 4 (highest urinary glucose content and spills) was significantly elevated above three other groups with less glucosuria. Dietary history revealed that group 4 patients consumed a significantly higher percentage of fat. Cholesterol levels did not correlate with parameters of regulation of the diabetes.