Medicina Molecular e Genética

Influence of a Regular, Standardized Meal on Lipid Profile of People with Diabetes

Abstract

Susana Garrido, Fernando Pichel, Helena Neto, Helena Ramos, José Carlos Oliveira and Isabel Palma

Aims: The need to fast before lipid screening has been questioned in the past years. The aim of this study was to determine the influence of a light meal on the lipid profile in people with diabetes.
Methods: 115 participants with type 2 diabetes were recruited between April/2013-August/2014 from our Outpatient Diabetes Education Clinic. Clinical and analytical evaluation took place in 2 moments (8-hour fasting=t0; 2h after a light standardized meal=t1), with measurements of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides.
Results: Triglycerides concentration increased between the 2 moments (median difference t1-t0=0.07 mmol/L, p=0.002) but the total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and non HDL- cholesterol did not change significantly. Performing an analysis according to the LDL-cholesterol therapeutic goals proposed by Adult Treatment Panel III, we found an agreement between fasting and postprandial assessments of 91.1% for the goal of 2.6 mmol/L (102/112), and of 97.3% for the goal of 1.8 mmol/L (109/112). The same analysis was performed for the secondary goal, non HDL-cholesterol.
Conclusion: The data presented suggest that the nonfasting lipid profile can be an alternative to the fasting lipid profile in selected patients. Larger studies are needed to confirm these results and demonstrate an association of nonfasting lipemia and cardiovascular risk in individuals with diabetes.