Effect of a mixed meal on plasma lipids, insulin resistance and systemic inflammation in non-obese Indian adults with normal glucose tolerance and treatment naïve type-2 diabetes.

AIM: Asian Indians are believed to have a lower capacity to clear a glucose load even during normoglycemia. High post meal glucose levels have been linked to postprandial dyslipidemia and generation of proinflammatory cytokines. Since humans spend most of their time in the postprandial state, the present study aims to evaluate the relationship of insulin resistance (IR) in the basal state with dyslipidemia and systemic inflammation (hs-CRP, IL-6 and TNF-a), in the fasting state, 2h and 4h after a mixed meal, in Indian adults with normal glucose tolerance, and new onset type-2 diabetes.

METHODS: Forty-eight people with type 2 diabetes and 32 individuals with normoglycemia, 30-70 years age, not on medications, underwent blood sampling after overnight (12h) fast and 2 and 4h after a mixed meal (carbohydrates, proteins and fat content 79.1%, 7.7% and 13.2%, respectively).

RESULTS: Triglyceride (TG), TG/HDL-C (high density lipoprotein), HDL-C/LDL-C (low density lipoprotein) ratios, IR parameters, and inflammatory markers were significantly higher among patients with diabetes. There was a fall in total cholesterol (TC), HDL-C and LDL-C at 2 and 4h after the meal in both groups. Compared with fasting, 4-h postprandial TC, TG and HDL-C were significantly better positively correlated with IR in normal individuals. Postprandial hs-CRP was not significantly different to fasting in both groups. Postprandial IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly lower in both groups.

CONCLUSION: Consumption of a carbohydrate rich meal is associated with a rise in TG and fall in TC, HDL-C, LDL-C, IL-6 and TNF-α among normal individuals and people with type 2 diabetes.