Association of low oleic acid intake with diabetic retinopathy in type 2 diabetic patients: a case-control study.
BACKGROUND
The objective of this study was to describe the intake of macronutrient, especially fatty acids, and explore their possible effect on diabetic retinopathy (DR) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.


METHODS
In this case-control study, we included a total of 146 patients with DR and 148 without DR. The intake of macronutrient was evaluated using a validated food frequency questionnaire. We used logistic regression adjusted for sex, age, diabetes duration, energy intake, educational level, physical activity, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and diabetes treatment, to estimate odds ratio (ORs) of DR.


RESULTS
Patients with DR had significantly lower intake of fibre, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), and palmitic and oleic acid. Inverse associations were observed between MUFA and oleic acid intake in DR. Subjects with intermediate and high MUFA intake were less likely to have DR than those with lower MUFA intake, with ORs of 0.46 (95 % CI: 0.22-0.93) and 0.42 (95 % CI: 0.18-0.97), respectively. Similarly, intermediate and high oleic acid intake were associated with reduced DR frequency compared with low oleic acid intake, with OR values of 0.48 (95 % CI: 0.23-0.97) and 0.37 (95 % CI: 0.16-0.85), respectively. These associations were stronger in patients with a longer diabetes duration.


CONCLUSIONS
In type 2 diabetes mellitus, MUFA and oleic acid intake were inversely associated with DR.
Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida, University of Lleida, Lleida, 25198 Spain.
Nuria
N
Alcubierre
Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemilogy and Public Health (CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública CIBERESP), Madrid, 28029 Spain.|Public Health Department, Miguel Hernandez University, Alicante, Spain.
Eva M
EM
Navarrete-Muñoz
Unitat de Suport a la Recerca de Barcelona, Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Atenció. Primària Jordi Gol (IDIAP Jordi Gol), CIBER of Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases (CIBERDEM), Barcelona, 08007 Spain.
Esther
E
Rubinat
Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida, University of Lleida, Lleida, 25198 Spain.|Primary Health Care Center Igualada Nord, Igualada, 08700 Spain.
Mireia
M
Falguera
Biostatistics Unit, Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida, University of Lleida, Lleida, 25198 Spain.
Joan
J
Valls
Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida, University of Lleida, Lleida, 25198 Spain.|Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova, Lleida, 25198 Spain.
Alicia
A
Traveset
Primary Health Care Center Igualada Nord, Igualada, 08700 Spain.
Maria-Belen
MB
Vilanova
Unitat de Suport a la Recerca de Lleida, Institut Universitari d'Investigació en AtencióPrimària Jordi Gol (IDIAP Jordi Gol), Lleida, 25007 Spain.|Unitat de Epidemiologia, Servicio de Cardiología, Hospital Universitari Vall d'Hebron, Barcelona, 08035 Spain.
Josep Ramon
JR
Marsal
Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida, University of Lleida, Lleida, 25198 Spain.|Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova, Lleida, 25198 Spain.
Marta
M
Hernandez
Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida, University of Lleida, Lleida, 25198 Spain.
Minerva
M
Granado-Casas
Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida, University of Lleida, Lleida, 25198 Spain.
Dolores
D
Martinez-Gonzalez
Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida, University of Lleida, Lleida, 25198 Spain.|Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital Arnau de Vilanova, Lleida, 25198 Spain.
Carmen
C
Jurjo
Unitat de Suport a la Recerca de Barcelona, Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Atenció. Primària Jordi Gol (IDIAP Jordi Gol), CIBER of Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases (CIBERDEM), Barcelona, 08007 Spain.|Primary Health Care Center Raval Sud, Barcelona, 08001 Spain.
Josep
J
Franch-Nadal
Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemilogy and Public Health (CIBER en Epidemiología y Salud Pública CIBERESP), Madrid, 28029 Spain.|Public Health Department, Miguel Hernandez University, Alicante, Spain.
Jesús
J
Vioque
Institut de Recerca Biomèdica de Lleida, University of Lleida, Lleida, 25198 Spain.|Unitat de Suport a la Recerca de Barcelona, Institut Universitari d'Investigació en Atenció. Primària Jordi Gol (IDIAP Jordi Gol), CIBER of Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases (CIBERDEM), Barcelona, 08007 Spain.|Department of Endocrinology and Nutrition, University Hospital and Health Sciences Research Institute Germans Trias Pujol, CIBER of Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Diseases (CIBERDEM), Badalona, 08916 Spain.
Didac
D
Mauricio
Diabetic retinopathy; Fatty acids; Monounsaturated fatty acids; Oleic acid; Type 2 Diabetes mellitus