Isolated low HDL cholesterol. An insulin-resistant state

• Published in: Diabetes (New York, N.Y.) Vol. 43; no. 3; pp. 411 - 417
• Main Authors: Karhapaa, P., Malkki, M., Laakso, M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Diabetes Association 01-03-1994
• ISSN: 0012-1797; 1939-327X; 0012-1797
• DOI: 10.2337/diabetes.43.3.411

Isolated low HDL cholesterol. An insulin-resistant state.
P Karhapää ,
M Malkki and
M Laakso
Department of Medicine, Kuopio University Hospital, Finland.
Abstract
High levels of very-low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) triglycerides (TGs) and low levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol
have been found to be associated with insulin resistance. However, direct evidence that patients with isolated low HDL cholesterol
are insulin resistant is still lacking. Therefore, we investigated the degree of insulin resistance and intracellular metabolism
of glucose by the euglycemic glucose clamp technique and indirect calorimetry in three groups of subjects with normal glucose
tolerance: 17 male control subjects with normolipidemia, 12 male patients with isolated low HDL cholesterol (low HDL group),
and 10 male patients with low HDL cholesterol and hypertriglyceridemia (low HDL/high TG group). Fasting, 1-h, and 2-h glucose
levels did not differ between the groups in an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). In contrast, insulin levels during an OGTT
were significantly higher in the low HDL group than in the control group (fasting insulin: 85 +/- 11 vs. 50 +/- 6 pM, P =
0.005; 1-h insulin: 622 +/- 92 vs. 394 +/- 64 pM, P = 0.004; and 2-h insulin: 343 +/- 73 vs. 194 +/- 40 pM, P = 0.006). Similarly,
insulin levels were also higher in the low HDL/high TG group than in the control group (fasting insulin: 82 +/- 14 pM, P =
0.037; 1-h insulin: 795 +/- 179 pM, P = 0.063; and 2-h insulin: 488 +/- 145 pM, P = 0.040).