title: Erythrocyte membrane fatty acid composition as a marker of dietary compliance in hyperlipidaemic subjects.
abstract: Dietary intervention is the first treatment step in management of hyperlipidaemia, but there are few objective criteria of compliance. Whether intensive dietary intervention would produce a detectable change in erythrocyte membrane fatty acid composition which could be used as a marker of compliance was examined in 31 new hyperlipidaemic patients. Over a 6 month period, body mass index fell from 29.0 to 26.9 kg/m2 (P < 0.001) and total cholesterol by 19% from 8.16 to 6.58 mmol/l (P < 0.001). The energy derived from fat was reduced from 38.5% to 29.6% (P < 0.001), and the ratio of dietary polyunsaturated to saturated (P:S) fatty acids in the diet increased from 0.45 to 0.66 (P < 0.01). Small but significant changes were recorded in several red cell membrane fatty acids, and the P:S ratio increased from 0.91 to 1.13 (P < 0.001). It would appear, therefore, that red cell membrane changes parallel dietary changes and hence are a potential marker for compliance with dietary changes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, UK.
authors.forename: M B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Tynan
authors.forename: D P
authors.initials: DP
authors.lastname: Nicholls
authors.forename: S M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Maguire
authors.forename: I C
authors.initials: IC
authors.lastname: Steele
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: McMaster
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Trimble
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pearce
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000737:chemistry*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000178:diet therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids