Long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and lipid profile in children with insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and their relation to lipid peroxidation

ABSTRACT

Type-1 diabetes is one of the major chronic illnesses during childhood. In this study, levels of glycosylated hemoglobin [HbA1], lipoproteins and the major groups of polyunsaturated fatty acids in plasma were studied in 30 diabetic patients and compared with 20 non diabetic children. Malondialdhyde, a lipid peroxidation end product was also assayed. In the present work, the parent essential fatty acid, lenoleic acid [LA] was found to be higher in the DM-1 patients than in controls. However, values of the long chain polyunsaturated fatty acids [LCPUFAs] namely [dohom-gamma-Linolenic acid C203w6 [DHGLA], arachidonic acid C205w6 [AA] and Docosapentanoic acid C205w6 [DPA], from omega 6 series as well as docosahexaenoic acid C226w3 [DHA] from omega 3 series in diabetic children were found to be significantly lower than non diabetics. This pattern of plasma PUFAs is compatible with a reduced conversion rate of the essential fatty acids [EFA] to their respective longer chain metabolites in DM-1 children. As regards lipoprotein pattern abnormalities could be found except for triglycerides levels. A positive correlation was found between Hb-A1 and each of cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C/Cholesterol, LDL-C/HDL-C and a reversed correlation was encountered between HbA1 and HDL-C. This result emphasizes the relation between poor metabolic control in hyperglycemic patients and increased CVD risk. There is an enhanced lipid peroxidation in DM-1 with affected plasma lipoproteins pattern. Under insulin insufficiency, there is reduced formation of long chain omega 6 PUFA from parent EFA together with a decreased level of omega-3 fatty acids