Cholesterol esters fatty acid composition in tunisian NIDDM with and without cardiovascular complications

Background: lipid and glycemic imbalances are frequent disorders found in diabetes type 2. These disorders are influenced by dietary means. Aim: to investigate saturated fatty acids (SFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFS) and oleic acid of cholesterol ester fraction in non-insulindependant diabetes mellitus without cardiovascular complications (NIDDM), non-insulindependant diabetes mellitus with cardiovascular complications (NIDDMc) and healthy controls. Methods: the composition of cholesterol ester fatty acids in 35 NIDDM, 33 NIDDMc and 32 controls were measured by gas-chromatography. Glycaemia and lipid profile were measured using commercial kits. Results: compared to NIDDM and to controls, NIDDMc showed a significant increase of different SFA (C 12:0, C 14:0, C 16:0, C 18:0). Oleic acid (C18:1) was significantly decreased in NIDDMc and NIDDM compared to controls (15,88 +/- 2,34 and 22,66 +/- 4,14 vs 28,18 +/- 2,90). Linoleic acid (C18:2) was significantly increased in NIDDMc compared to NIDDM and controls (52,59 +/- 5,50 vs 49,29 +/- 8,58 and 39,26 +/- 10,46). Linolenic acid (C18:3) and arachidonic acid (C20:4) were significantly decreased in NIDDMc compared to NIDDM and to controls. Linoleic acid (C 18:2) / linolenic acid (C 18:3) ratio was increased in NIDDMc. Conclusion: linoleic (C18:2) acid excess intake found in our NIDDMc could emphasize arachidonic synthesis which is directly transformed while an inflammatory syndrome observed in coronary pathologies.