TRANS FATTY ACID;

A confounding risk factor in coronary heart disease

Abstract

Objectives: To find out the correlation between the consumption of trans fatty acid and fasting lipid profile & body mass index
(BMI) in patients suffering from coronary heart disease. Study Design: Prospective, comparative clinical study. Study Site & Duration:
This study was conducted at Shafakhana Sahib az Zaman Medical Hospital Quetta from April, 2007 to May, 2008. Material & Methods:
This comparative clinical trial was conducted on 50 patients (n=50) to find out the correlation between the consumption of trans fatty
acid and fasting lipid profile & body mass index (BMI) in patients suffering from coronary heart disease. Detail history about the use of
Trans fats containing products was recorded. Patient’s height and weight was recorded by standard calibrated standiometer. The fasting
glucose and lipid profile was performed by overnight fasting of 12 hours. The patients was divided into group I (n=18), who used Trans
fats free oil/ghee and group II (n=32), who used trans fats containing ghee. The results of the two groups were compared and correlation
of different variables was determined. Results: The study result shows that mean age 58.428 ±9.67721 years, mean height 5.476
±.5899 feet, mean weight 61.5 ±4.8793 Kg and mean BMI was 22.35 ±5.24195 Kg/m2. There was slightly higher value of BMI in group
II. The comparison of serum lipid profile and glucose among the two groups shows that there is a correlation of Trans fatty acid with
certain parameters like high density lipoprotein (HDL) and total lipid with p-value of 0.027 & 0.014 respectively. Similarly serum
cholesterol and low density lipoprotein (LDL) correlated with Trans fats lipid having both p- value of 0.000. Conclusions: There is a
correlation of Trans fatty acid with serum cholesterol, LDL, HDL and total lipid. The consumption of Trans fatty acid has shown positive
correlation of certain parameters with each others like weight shows correlation with serum cholesterol, LDL and total lipid, LDL shows
correlation with diastolic blood pressure, triglyceride shows correlation with systolic blood pressure while BMI shows negative
correlation with HDL.