Patulea scored the only goal of the game in the 27th minute when he headed in from close range for his tenth goal from just 15 starts.
Lincoln had to survive some second-half pressure from the Silkmen but in the end won comfortably as Macclesfield slumped to their fifth consecutive League defeat.
After a quiet start Lincoln skipper Scott Kerr created a half-chance for himself when he won the ball on the edge of the box but sent his shot high over the bar.
Four minutes later Lincoln went in front. Winger Dany N'Guessan worked his way down the left before crossing to the far post. Anthony Elding headed back leaving Patulea to knock the ball in from close range.
Lincoln had a scare when John Rooney aimed a long ball forward towards Gareth Evans but keeper Rob Burch managed the scramble the ball away.
Burch was involved in the action again early in the second half when he got down well to block a close-range shot from Evans.
At the other end Kerr opened up the Macclesfield defence with a neat pass to put N'Guessan clear but the winger saw his low shot blocked by Jonny Brain.
Macclesfield manager Keith Alexander then switched things around bringing on Simon Yeo and Emile Sinclair to form a three-man attack alongside Evans.
Yeo could have equalised with his first touch. A poorly placed clearance by Lincoln defender Aaron Brown fell straight to the Macclesfield striker who blasted in a first-time shot only to be denied by an excellent save from Burch.
Then a Rooney corner found Nat Brown at the far post but the big defender headed wide.
As Macclesfield pushed forward they left gaps and were almost caught out in the 66th minute. Kerr fired in a cross from the right for Elding to send in a glancing header that was heading for the top corner before Brain saved.
Then N'Guessan was left with time and space to cut in from the wing but failed to hit the target from a good position.