Effect of Diabetes mellitus and Different Treatments on Plasma and Erythrocyte Phospholipid Fatty Acid Composition inType 2 Diabetics

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the present study was to determine how the fatty acid composition of plasma and erythrocyte phospholipids is influenced by the diabetic condition and by dietary or glibenclamide treatment in type 2 diabetes. Methods: The fatty acid composition of plasma and erythrocyte phospholipids is assessed in 3 nonobese groups of Cuban diabetics with comparable age and BMI: 13 newly diagnosed, 15 on diet alone and 15 on diet/glibenclamide. Thirteen healthy individuals were used as controls. Fasting serum glucose, insulin and glycosylated hemoglobin and dietary fat intake were assessed. Results: In plasma phospholipids, significant lower values were found for 14:0, 15:0 and 17:0 in newly diagnosed patients than in controls. In red blood cell phospholipids, 14:1, 20:0 and 24:1 of newly diagnosed patients were significantly lower than of controls, and 16:1ω7 and 18:4ω3 were significantly higher. The different treatments had an effect on 18:0, 18:1t, 20:0 and total trans fatty acids in erythrocyte, but not in plasma phospholipids. Conclusions: Changes in plasma phospholipid fatty acids found in type 2 diabetics may be due to an ‘adapted’ dietary pattern, whereas those in erythrocyte phospholipids may be attributed to effects of the disease itself and may be susceptible to normalization by diet or glibenclamide.