Serum lipid and lipoprotein levels were evaluated in 50 insulin-treated diabetic out-patients (25 male and 25 female) and in 46 normal volunteers (22 male and 24 female). In these groups metabolic evaluation was carried out by assaying fasting plasma glucose, glucose in urine and glycosylated hemoglobin (G-HbA1). No differences were observed in the lipid and lipoprotein patterns between diabetic patients and normals. HDL values were significantly lower in male subjects, diabetic and normal, as compared to females, but there were no differences between the diabetic and the normal group. G-HbA1 was significantly correlated to fasting plasma glucose and glucose in urine, but also to WS-TG and VLDL-TG. Fasting plasma glucose too was correlated to WS-TG and VLDL-TG. Moreover, a negative correlation was found between HDL-Ch and WS-TG and VLDL-TG. These results show that sufficiently well-controlled insulin-treated diabetics do not have altered plasma lipid and lipoprotein levels. In particular, in these patients HDL-Ch values can be normal, because insulin levels are sufficient to activate lipoprotein lipase and to guarantee an adequate plasma VLDL clearance.

Adult↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Improvement of electroimmunoassay for apolipoproteins B and A-I. (Preliminary observations in postprandial phase).

A reliable method for determining serum apoprotein levels is an essential condition for investigating the role of apoproteins in atherogenesis. Electroimmunoassay according to Laurell has been studied and applied with some modifications for the determination of the two main apoproteins: Apo A-I and Apo B. Apo B immunoplates containing 0.4% v/v of rabbit anti-Apo B antiserum were processed for 4 h at 10 V/cm. Samples were incubated at 52 degrees C for 3 h, diluted and then 10 microliter were seeded in each well. Apo A-I immunoplates (8% v/v of sheep antiserum) were processed for 24 h at 2 V/cm. Agarose gel concentration, exsiccation procedure and staining were the same for both apoproteins. The method was standardized employing a secondary standard consisting of a serum pool obtained from normal subjects. Apo A-I and Apo B levels of the pool have been previously determined employing as primary standards the HDL3 (1.120-1.230 g/ml) and the LP-B (1.035-1.050 g/ml) fractions, respectively, which were isolated by preparative ultracentrifugation. Preliminary observations from a study on 20 healthy volunteers with normal lipid levels revealed different apoprotein levels in young men and women and significant differences between postmenopausal women and women in the fertile age.

Apolipoprotein A-I↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Long-term effects of colestipol (U-26,597 A) on plasma lipids in familial type II hyperbetalipoproteinaemia.

Results related to long term treatment with Colestipol (a new resin sequestering bile acids) in 23 subjects with familial hypercholesterolaemia, 12 with Type IIA, 8 with Type IIB and 3 homozygotes are reported. Patients were given 15 g/day active drug for a period of 12 months and a double dose (30 g/day) for a successive period of 4 months along with a low cholesterol, low saturated fat, polyunsaturated fat-rich diet. Mean cholesterol decrease was --42 +/- 18 mg/dl (P less than 0.05) after 12 months of 15 g/day Colestipol and --69 +/- 17 mg/dl (P less than 0.01) after the following 4 months of 30 g/day Colestipol. The difference between the two periods of treatment (15 g and 30 g/day was not statistically significant. A slight but not significant increase in triglyceride levels was observed. Serum uric acid showed a significant increase throughout the entire period of treatment. No malabsorption syndrome or signs of toxicity were seen. Most frequent side effects were constipation, nausea, and metheorism which, with the exception of 4 cases which were withdrawn from the study, were reported as being transitory and mild.

Adult↗