Prevalence of dyslipidemia among adult diabetic patients with overt diabetic nephropathy in Anambra state south-east Nigeria.

BACKGROUND Dyslipidemia has been identified as a risk factor for the development and progression of diabetic renal disease. OBJECTIVE This study was done to determine the prevalence of dyslipidemia among diabetic patients with overt nephropathy. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 72 diabetic patients with overt diabetic nephropathy and 36 age- and sex-matched normoalbuminuric diabetic patients were studied. Their fasting lipid profile, fasting blood sugar, and renal function tests were evaluated. RESULTS Total serum cholesterol and serum triglycerides were significantly higher in patients with overt diabetic nephropathy compared to the controls; 66.7% and 62.5% versus 36.1% and 30.6%, respectively ( P = 0.003 and 0.002, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Diabetic patients with overt diabetic nephropathy have significant dyslipidemia and aggressive lipid lowering in these patients may retard their progression to end-stage renal disease.