Association of trace metal elements with lipid profiles in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients: a cross sectional study

BACKGROUND: It is well known that dyslipidemia and chronic hyperglycemia increase the onset of diabetes and diabetic complication. The aim of this study is to see the association of trace metals elements and lipid profile among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. METHODS: The study was conducted on 214 type 2 diabetic patients at Jimma University Specialized Hospital, Jimma, Ethiopia. All the eligible study participants responded to the structured interviewer administered questionnaire and fasting venous blood was drawn for biochemical analysis. Trace metal elements (zinc(Zn(+2)), magnesium(Mg(+2)), chromium(Cr(+3)), calcium(Ca(+2)), phosphorus(Po(4) (−3)), manganese(Mn(+2)), copper(Cu(+2)), and iron(Fe(+3))) and lipid profiles (total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C), and triglycerides (TG)) were measured by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and enzymatic determination method respectively. Data were analyzed by SPSS version 24 software for windows. Bonferroni correction for multiple statistical comparisons was used and a p-value less than 0.01 were accepted as a level of significance. RESULT: The mean age of study participants was 42.95(±12.6) with an average of 5.83(±3.1) years being diagnosed with diabetes mellitus. The BMI of female (27.1(±4.9)) was significantly higher than male (25.21(±4.2)). BMI shows positive and significant (p < 0.01) association with lipid profiles (TC, LDL-C, and TG) among type 2 diabetic patients in the liner regression model. In addition, WH-R was positively associated with TG. In Pearson partial correlation adjusted for sex and age, Za(+2) shown to have statistically significant and negative correlations with TC, LDL-C and with TG. Mg(+2) and Cr(+2) negatively and significantly correlated with the lipid profile TC and LDL-C. Ca(+2) negatively correlated with TC and TG. Po(−3) (4) positively correlated with HDL-C; iron negatively correlated with TC. However, in the liner regression model, only calcium positively and significantly (Beta = −0.21, p < 0.01) associated with TG. CONCLUSION: In the current study, a negative correlation was observed between trace metal elements (Zn(+2), Mg(+2), Cr(+3), Ca(+2) and Fe(+3)) and lipid profile (TC, LDL-C and TG) among type 2 diabetes mellitus patients. In addition, Ca(+2) observed to be associated with TG. Future studies are highly advised to uncover the bidirectional association between trace metal element and dyslipidemia in diabetic patients.