GENDER DIFFERENCES IN LIPIDS AND LIPOPROTEIN (a) PROFILES IN HEALTHY INDIVIDUALS AND PATIENTS WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS

Background: This study aimed to assess gender differences in blood lipids and lipoprotein(a) levels in healthy individuals and patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: This study was carried out at Department of Physiology, Army Medical College, Rawalpindi, Pakistan Sixty four patients suffering from type 2 DM and forty one healthy individuals were studied. The subjects were divided into healthy females, healthy males, type 2 DM females and type 2 DM males group. Fasting blood samples were analyzed for lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c). Results: When the lipid profile of healthy females was compared with the lipid profile of healthy males it was observed that HDL-C levels were significantly higher in healthy females as compared to healthy males (p < 0.05) while serum triglycerides were significantly raised in healthy males as compared to healthy females(p < 0.05). Diabetic females had significantly higher levels of LDL-C, HDL-C , TG and Lp(a) levels as compared to healthy females (p < 0.01, p < 0.05, p < 0.05 and p < 0.05). Diabetic males had significantly higher levels of TC, LDL-C, HDL-C and Lp(a) levels than healthy males (p < 0.01, p < 0.05, p < 0.01, and p < 0.05). The difference in lipid and Lp(a) profile was non significant between diabetic females and diabetic males. Conclusions: There are gender differences in lipid profile in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and well as healthy individuals. Diabetic individuals have raised levels of Lp(a) as compared to non diabetic subjects in case of both females and males. However in diabetic females and diabetic males there is no difference in lipid profile and Lp(a) concentrations. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.