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Association of Platelet Count and Mean Platelet Volume with Fish Intake Frequency: Implication for the
Shigemasa Tani1,2,3, Kazuhiro Imatake1, Yasuyuki Suzuki1,2
1Department of Health Planning Center, Nihon University Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Introduction:
Larger mean platelet volume (MPV), a measure of platelet activity, increases atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) risk. Intake of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) found in fish may lower platelet count (PLC) and activity. We investigated the relationship between fish intake, PLC, MPV, and n-3 PUFA intake.
Methods:
We conducted a cross-sectional study among 9,870 participants (average age: 47.5 years; 55.9% men). N-3 PUFA intake was calculated based on fish intake frequency and information from the Nutritional Health Survey of Japan.
Results:
The average fish intake frequency was 2.14 ± 1.26 days/week. Higher fish intake frequency was associated with lower PLC and larger MPV. In a multi-regression analysis, fish intake frequency was a determinant of PLC (β = -0.081, p < 0.0001) but not MVP; however, lower PLC was a determinant of larger MPV (β = -0.421, p < 0.0001). N-3 PUFA intake significantly increased with increased fish intake frequency.
Conclusion:
Although higher fish intake frequency is associated with greater MPV, this relationship is not direct; instead, it may depend on lower PLC linked to higher fish intake. The antiplatelet effect of n-3 PUFA, which intensifies with higher fish intake, may suppress platelet activity with larger MPV, preventing ASCVD risk.
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