Elevated Lipids Are Associated with Lower Diabetes Risk: More Proof

Mendelian randomization analyses yield insights into the association, but do not address whether lowering lipids increases the risk.

Interest has been increasing in the interplay between low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol levels and diabetes type 2, prompted in part by evidence that statin therapy moderately increases diabetes risk. To investigate associations between lipid fractions and risks for diabetes and coronary artery disease (CAD), researchers performed Mendelian randomization (MR) studies, which use genetic variants as proxies for environmental exposures. A series of genetic instruments for LDL-cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, and triglyceride (TG) levels were generated from 185 lipid-associated single nucleotide polymorphisms (based on three datasets; N=532,825).

Higher CAD risk was significantly associated with higher LDL-cholest…

Reviewing Author

Karol E. Watson, MD, PhD, FACC

Disclosures

Consultant/Advisory BoardBoehringer Ingelheim; Amgen; Novartis; Lilly; Amarin

Speaker’s BureauBoehringer Ingelheim

Grant/Research SupportNIH

Editorial BoardsCirculation (Associate Editor)