Dietary fat composition and cardiac events in patients with type 2 diabetes

•Association of dietary fat with cardiac events in type 2 diabetes patients was evaluated.•The intake of PUFA had a protective effect for cardiac events.•ALA intake was negatively associated with cardiac events in type 2 diabetes patients.•Soybean oil intake of patients with cardiac events was lower than the ones without cardiac events.•There was no difference in SFA and cholesterol intake of patients with and without cardiac events.

ObjectiveTo evaluate associations of dietary fat composition with the development of cardiac events in patients with type 2 diabetes, without ischemic heart disease who were followed for at least 12 months.MethodsIn this prospective cohort study the usual diet of patients was retrospectively assessed by a 3-day weighed diet record (WDR). Compliance with the WDR technique was assessed by comparing protein intake estimated from 3-day WDR and 24-h urinary nitrogen output. The following were considered cardiac events: myocardial infarction, myocardial revascularization procedures, congestive heart failure, new-onset angina pectoris, and sudden death.ResultsA total of 227 patients with type 2 diabetes (aged 59 ± 10 years; 46.0% male), were followed during 4.6 years. In a multivariate Cox regression analysis, the intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids had a protective effect for cardiac events (HR = 0.31, 95% CI: 0.11-0.89; P = 0.03) adjusted for age, gender, duration of diabetes, smoking, compliance with WDR, using hypolipidemic agents, and the presence of hypertension and diabetic nephropathy. When the fat intake was divided into quartiles, the highest intake of α-linolenic acid (>1.25% of energy) was negatively associated with cardiac events (HR = 0.58, 95% CI: 0.39-0.85; P = 0.006), adjusted for the same covariates..ConclusionIn patients with type 2 diabetes without ischemic heart disease, a high intake of polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially alpha linolenic acid, was protective for the development of cardiac events..