Racial Disparities on Glycemic Control and Lipid Profiles in Children with Type 1 Diabetes

Objective: We assessed the racial (Black–White) differences in glycemic control, prevalence of abnormal lipid profiles and factors influencing temporal trends in children with type 1 diabetes (T1DM). Methods: This retrospective study was done in children with T1DM. The outcome measure was based on glycemic control and all lipid determinations which were stratified according to the published guidelines. Results: The study included 181 children; 76.2% Whites and 23.8% Blacks. The mean glycated hemoglobin (A1C) was higher in Blacks than in Whites (p < 0.0001). Blacks had elevated total cholesterol (TC) (p = 0.0013), lower TC/HDL ratio (p < 0.0001) and higher concentration of HDL ( <0.0001) when compared to Whites. The longitudinal analyses over a 5 year period showed changes in A1C significantly associated with changes in the lipid profiles. The lipid profiles in Blacks were more altered by the trend in A1C with changes in the TC (p = 0.0079), non-HDL (p < 0.0001) and HDL (p < 0.0001). Conclusions: Black children with T1DM have poorer glycemic control. However they retained excellent levels of HDL when compared to Whites.