The relationship between free fatty acids and diabetic macrovascular complications

Objective To study the relationship between free fatty acids and diabetic(FFA) macrovascular complications(MVC). Methods 203 cases with type 2 diabetes in which 65 patients suffered from macrovascular complications and 138 didnot, compared with the normal controls(NC). Free fatty acids were measured using an enzymatic colorimetry. Serum free fatty acids and other factors related to diabetic macrovascular complications were analyzed by multiple stepwise logistic regressive analysis. Results Serum free fatty acids level was higher in type 2 diabetes group than that in the control(0.53±0.25 mmol/L vs 0.39±0.18 mmol/L,P0.01). Serum free fatty acids was 0.56±0.28 mmol/L in diabetic macrovascular complications group which was higher than 0.49±0.21 mmol/L in the non- diabetic macrovascular complications group. To define the independent association between serum free fatty acids and diabetic macrovascular complications, the multiple stepwise logistic regressive analysis was used. Serum free fatty acids, but not other parameters, related independently and significantly with macrovascular complications, so did age, duration and systolic hypertension. Conclusions The study suggests that free fatty acids is an important independent risk factor for diabetic macrovascular complications.