Postprandial lipoprotein metabolism in diabetes

Abstract

Cardiovascular disease is up to four times greater in patients with Type 2 diabetes compared with nonnoglycaemic individuals (Pyorala et al., 1987; Laakso and Lehto 1997). Abnormalities in lipid metabolism may, in part, account for this increased risk. Diabetes is particularly a postprandial metabolic abnormality and not surprisingly perhaps the chylomicron remnant, a postprandial paiticle, has been shown to be of particular importance in atherosclerosis (Karpe et al, 1994; Mero et al., 2000). The current understanding of the importance of the intestine in lipid metabolism in diabetes is inadequate. The objective of this thesis was to investigate the role of the intestine in postprandial lipoprotein metabolism in diabetes and insulin resistance.