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HDL not as protective in people with type 2 diabetes
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HDL from people with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome had significantly impaired endothelial-protective effects compared with HDL from otherwise healthy people, according to data recently published in Circulation.
Researchers in Germany and Switzerland assessed the vessel-protecting effect of HDL derived from 33 patients with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome and compared it with 10 healthy controls. Patients with diabetes were randomly assigned to three months of extended-release niacin therapy 1,500 mg daily or placebo.
HDL from healthy controls accelerated endothelial nitric oxide production and reduced endothelial oxidant stress. It also improved endothelium-dependent vasodilation and early endothelial progenitor cell–mediated endothelial repair.
However, these beneficial effects were not observed in the HDL from patients with diabetes.
“This suggests markedly impaired endothelial-protective properties of HDL,” the researchers wrote.
The researchers observed that extended-release niacin therapy promoted the endothelial-protective properties of HDL in patients with type 2 diabetes.
“Extended-release niacin therapy improved the capacity of HDL to stimulate endothelial nitric oxide, to reduce superoxide production and to promote endothelial progenitor cell–mediated endothelial repair,” they wrote.
Further, HDL from patients with diabetes following extended-release niacin therapy — but not patients assigned to placebo — had an improved capacity to stimulate endothelial nitric oxide production, promote early endothelial progenitor cell-mediated endothelial repair and inhibited endothelial cell oxidant stress.
Sorrentino SA. Circulation. 2010;121:110-122.