Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The chronic metabolic disorder type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by persistent hyperglycemia due to low insulin secretion and impaired insulin resistance. Dyslipidemia and cardiovascular diseases are commonly associated with T2DM. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is a potential marker for long-term glycemic control in T2DM, and many researchers have studied its relationship with serum lipid profiles. The objective of this study was to investigate the correlation between HbA1c and lipid parameters in T2DM patients at a tertiary care hospital to improve understanding and guide clinical management of such patients. METHODS: One hundred T2DM patients (53 females, 47 males) taking treatment at a tertiary care hospital in Hyderabad were included. The lipids parameters, including total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL), and very low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL) and HbA1c, as well as fasting plasma glucose (FPG), were collected from the existing records after taking necessary permissions. Pearson correlation coefficients and linear regression models were used to investigate the statistical correlation between HbA1c and lipid parameters. A p-value below 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The HbA1c values were significantly higher in females than in males (p = 0.008). The triglyceride levels were significantly higher in patients with poor glycemic control (157.50 ± 94.80 mg/dL) than those with good glycemic control (130.90 ± 69.50 mg/dL, p = 0.025). A positive correlation was observed between HbA1c and triglycerides (r = 0.17, p = 0.018), whereas no significant correlation was found between HbA1c and other lipid parameters. CONCLUSION: This study highlights a statistically significant weak positive correlation between HbA1c and triglyceride levels in T2DM patients, emphasizing the importance of integrated glycemic and lipid control strategies to reduce cardiovascular risk. Glycemic control can enhance lipid profiles, specifically triglyceride levels, and reduce the risk of complications associated with diabetes.