Positive Health Online

Abstract

TAKAHASHI and COLLEAGUES, 1. Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan. masaotakahashi-gi@umin.org ; 2. Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Hongo 7-3-1, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8655, Japan; 3. Department of Cardiology, Juntendo University Graduate School of Medicine, Hongo 3-1-3, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, 113-8431, Japan; 4. Department of Cardiology, Nihon University Hospital, 1-6 Kanda Surugadai Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo, 101-8309, Japan; 5. Divison of Cardiology, Department of Internal Medicine, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Nishishinbashi 3-19-18, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 105-8471, Japan; 6. Department of Cardiology, Sempo Takanawa Hospital, Takanawa 3-10-11, Minato-ku, Tokyo, 108-8606, Japan; 7. Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Nihon University School of Medicine, 30-1Ohyaguchi Kamichou Itabashi-ku, Tokyo, 173-8610, Japan; 8. Jichi Medical University, Yakushiji 3311-159, Shimotsuke city, Tochigi, 329-0498, Japan conducted a study to assess the associations between PUFAs levels and the risk factors in prior myocardial infarction (PMI) patients.

Background

In prior myocardial infarction (PMI) patients, diabetes mellitus (DM), dyslipidaemia, and hypertension increase the risk of secondary cardiovascular events. Although a decreased ratio of serum eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) to arachidonic acid (AA; EPA/AA) has been shown to significantly correlate with the onset of acute coronary syndrome, the associations between polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) levels and coronary risk factors in PMI patients have not been evaluated thoroughly. This study aimed to assess the associations between PUFAs levels and the risk factors in PMI patients.

Methodology

The authors enrolled 1733 patients with known PUFA levels who were treated in five divisions of cardiology in a metropolitan area of Japan, including 303 patients with PMI. EPA/AA and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) to AA level ratio (DHA/AA) in patients with and without PMI were analyzed according to presence of coronary risk factors.

Results

Diabetes patients with PMI had significantly lower EPA/AA and DHA/AA than diabetes patients without PMI (EPA/AA: P <0.01; DHA/AA: P =0.003), with no such differences in dyslipidaemia and hypertension patients. In DM patients with high high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels (>0.1 mg/dL), EPA/AA was low in individuals who also had PMI, whereas DHA/AA was not (EPA/AA, with PMI: 0.43 ± 0.24; without PMI: 0.53 ± 0.30, P < 0.05). Moreover, patients on statins had significantly lower DHA/AA ratios, whereas the EPA/AA ratio did not depend on statin use. Multiple regression analysis revealed that statin use in DM patients was associated with low DHA/AA but not EPA/AA.

Conclusion

PMI patients with DM have low EPA/AA and DHA/AA. EPA/AA and DHA/AA are differently related to hs-CRP level in DM patients with PMI. Statin use can potentially affect DHA/AA but not EPA/AA, and therefore EPA/AA ratio is a better marker of assessment for cardiovascular events.

References

Takahashi M1, Ando J2, Shimada K3, Nishizaki Y3, Tani S4, Ogawa T5, Yamamoto M6, Nagao K4, Hirayama A7, Yoshimura M5, Daida H3, Nagai R8, Komuro I2. The ratio of serum n-3 to n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids is associated with diabetes mellitus in patients with prior myocardial infarction: a multicenter cross-sectional study. BMC Cardiovasc Disord.;17(1):41. doi: 10.1186/s12872-017-0479-4. Jan 26 2017.