The risk of early cardiovascular disease in Lithuanian diabetic children and adolescents: A type 1 diabetes register database based study

AimsThe aim was to assess the frequency and correlates of selected cardiovascular disease risk factors among Lithuanian children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM).MethodsA cohort of 539 T1DM children was investigated. Total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglyceride (TG), glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) was determined.ResultsThe mean of HbA1c was 8.5 ± 1.8%. Overweight was present in 72 (13.4%, 95% CI 10.6-16.9) and 113 (21.0%, 95% CI 17.5-25.3) had arterial hypertension. Hypercholesterolemia was diagnosed in 120 (22.3%; 95% CI 18.6-26.7), decreased HDL in 22 (4.1%; 95% CI 2.7-6.2), high LDL in 79 (14.7%; 95% CI 11.8-18.3), and high TG in 96 (17.8%, 95% CI 14.7-21.9) subjects. There were positive linear correlations between TG and high HbA1c levels (r = 0.192; p < 0.001), and between LDL and high HbA1c levels (r = 0.238; p < 0.001). Two cardiovascular risk factors were present 14.3%, three risk factors in 6.9%, four in 2.4% and five in 0.9%. The frequency of two cardiovascular risk factors was higher among 10-17-year-old T1DM patients than among 1-9-year-old children (27.0% vs. 13.3% respectively, p < 0.01).ConclusionThe frequency of cardiovascular risk factors is common in young people with T1DM and was associated with poor glycaemic control.