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Serum free fatty acid pattern and risk of myocardial infarction: a case-control study
P Yli-Jama1, H E Meyer, J Ringstad
1Institute for Nutrition Research, Medical Faculty, University of Oslo, Norway.
Insights
Serum free fatty acids (FFA) composition impacts myocardial infarction (MI) risk. Higher levels of very long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (VLC n-3) and stearic acid in serum FFA are linked to a reduced risk of developing MI.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Nutritional Science
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Serum free fatty acid (FFA) composition is increasingly recognized as a potential biomarker for cardiovascular disease.
- Understanding the specific fatty acids associated with myocardial infarction (MI) risk can inform preventative strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between the composition of serum free fatty acid (FFA) fraction and the risk of a first myocardial infarction (MI).
Main Methods:
- A case-control study design was employed.
- 103 patients with a first MI and 104 population controls (men and postmenopausal women, aged 45-75 years) were recruited from Norwegian hospitals.
Main Results:
- Lower mean percentages of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), stearic, and myristic acids were observed in the serum FFA of MI cases compared to controls.
- Higher percentages of oleic and linoleic acids were found in MI cases.
- Increased serum FFA content of very long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (VLC n-3) was associated with a significantly decreased risk of MI (OR 0.20).
- Elevated stearic acid content also showed an inverse association with MI risk (OR 0.38), though this trend diminished after adjusting for oleic acid.
Conclusions:
- The percentage content of VLC n-3 fatty acids and stearic acid in serum FFA is inversely associated with the risk of myocardial infarction.
- VLC n-3 fatty acid levels may reflect dietary intake and potentially play a role in the pathogenetic process of MI, beyond simply reflecting adipose tissue content.
Objectives:
To investigate the association between composition of serum free fatty acid (FFA) fraction and risk of a first myocardial infarction (MI).
Design:
A case-control design.
Setting:
The patients were recruited from Ullevål Hospital in Oslo and Ostfold Central Hospital in Fredrikstad and Sarpsborg, Norway.
Subjects:
A total of 103 patients with first MI and 104 population controls, both men and postmenopausal women, age 45-75 years.
Results:
The mean molar percentage content of docosahexaenoic (DHA), eicosapentaenoic (EPA), stearic and myristic acid in the serum FFA fraction was significantly lower in cases than in controls, whereas that of oleic and linoleic acid was higher in cases. Increased percentage content of total very long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (VLC n-3) in serum FFA was associated with decreased risk of MI. Multivariate odds ratio (OR), adjusted for age, sex, waist-hip ratio, smoking, family history of coronary heart disease (CHD) and years of education was 0.20 (95% CI 0.06-0.63) for the highest vs. lowest quartile. Also increased content of stearic acid was associated with decreased risk. Multivariate OR adjusted as above was 0.38 (95% CI 0.14-1.04) for the highest versus lowest quartile. After adjustment for oleic acid, however, the inverse linear trend was no longer significant.
Conclusions:
The percentage content of VLC n-3 as well as of stearic acid in serum FFA was inversely associated with risk of myocardial infarction. That of VLC n-3 may reflect diet, but additionally these free fatty acids might in some way be related to the pathogenetic process and not only reflect their content in adipose tissue.