The Triglyceride Content of Adipocytes and Plasma of Patients with Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

In two groups of obese diabetic patients closely matched for age, glucose intolerance and indices of obesity, the group with hypertriglyceridaemia was found to have an increased triglyceride content of adipocytes (p <0.001) and raised fasting plasma insulin (p <0.02). Plasma insulin did not directly relate to the level of plasma triglyceride (r = +0.28, n = 36, p N.S.) but correlated with the triglyceride content of adipocytes (r = +0.59, n = 37, p <0.001). The results suggest that raised plasma insulin is not a primary determinant of the level of plasma triglyceride but that it may be related by its effect on lipogenesis in adipose and other tissues.

Key words

Triglycerides - Adipocytes - Hypertriglyceridaemia - Diabetes Mellitus

1 Present Address: Department of Medicine, Sydney Hospital, Macquarie Street, Sydney, Australia.