Biomarkers of fatty acid intake are independently associated with preclinical atherosclerosis in individuals with type 1 diabetes.

Purpose: Information on the association between diet and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in type 1 diabetes (T1D) is scarce. We assessed the association between biomarkers of fatty acid (FA) intake and the presence of carotid plaques (a surrogate marker of future CVD events) in this high-risk population.

Methods: Cross-sectional study in 167 consecutive T1D patients without CVD and with at least one of the following: ≥ 40 years, diabetic nephropathy, or ≥ 10 years of T1D duration with another CVD risk factor. The FA profile of erythrocyte membranes was determined by gas chromatography, and the number of carotid plaques (intima-media thickness ≥ 1.5 mm) was assessed by ultrasonography. Regression models were constructed adjusting for classical (age, gender, blood pressure, smoking habit, LDL-cholesterol, body mass index and statins) and T1D-specific risk factors (diabetes duration, HbA1c and chronic complications).

Results: A total of 58.7% were men (mean age 48.3 ± 10.3 years, T1D duration 27.2 ± 10.1 years). Sixty-one patients (36.5%) showed carotid plaque. Linoleic acid decreased and all-C18:1trans increased with the number of carotid plaques (none, 1-2, ≥ 3 plaques; p for trend < 0.05). In multivariate regression models, linoleic acid remained inversely associated with the presence of plaque [1% increase of total FAs; OR 0.71 (0.53-0.95), p = 0.021] and ≥ 2 plaques [OR 0.70 (0.51-0.98), p = 0.039]; whereas, all-C18:1trans was positively associated with ≥ 3 plaques (0.1% increase of total FAs; OR 1.51 [1.05-2.16], p = 0.026).

Conclusions: Erythrocyte FA composition, as a biomarker of FA intake, was independently associated with preclinical atherosclerosis in T1DM. Our data support the potential role of an unfavorable pattern of fat intake and CVD risk in this population.