Omega-6 fatty acids: opposing associations with risk : the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health Study

Background: Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-6 PUFA) are recommended in European cardiovascular prevention guidelines. However, individual fatty acids have distinct biological functions, and there have been conflicting reports about the association of omega-6 PUFA with cardiovascular risk....

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Delgado Gonzales de Kleber, Graciela (Author) , März, Winfried (Author) , Kleber, Marcus E. (Author)
Format: Article (Journal)
Language:English
Published: 2017
In: Journal of clinical lipidology
Year: 2017, Volume: 11, Issue: 4, Pages: 1082-1090.e14
ISSN:1876-4789
DOI:10.1016/j.jacl.2017.05.003
Online Access:Verlag, Volltext: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jacl.2017.05.003
Verlag, Volltext: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S193328741730329X
Get full text
Author Notes:Graciela E. Delgado, MSc, Winfried März, MD, Stefan Lorkowski, PhD, Clemens von Schacky, MD, Marcus E. Kleber, PhD
Description
Summary:Background: Omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (omega-6 PUFA) are recommended in European cardiovascular prevention guidelines. However, individual fatty acids have distinct biological functions, and there have been conflicting reports about the association of omega-6 PUFA with cardiovascular risk. Objective: The aim of our study was to investigate the association of individual omega-6 fatty acids with mortality in a cohort of patients referred for coronary angiography. Methods: Omega-6 PUFA proportions were measured in erythrocytes at baseline in a total of 3259 patients participating in the Ludwigshafen Risk and Cardiovascular Health Study using the HS-Omega-3 Index method. Associations of omega-6 PUFA with mortality were analyzed by Cox regression with adjustment for conventional risk factors. Results: During a median follow-up of 10.0 years, 975 patients (29.9%) died, 614 patients (18.8%) from cardiovascular causes. γ-Linolenic acid was inversely associated with all-cause and cardiovascular mortalities in models adjusted for cardiovascular risk factors with hazard ratios of 0.88 (0.82-0.95) and 0.86 (0.79-0.95) per 1-standard deviation increase, respectively. Adrenic acid and docosapentaenoic acid ω-6 were both directly associated with risk with hazard ratio of 1.10 (1.30-1.18) and 1.12 (1.05-1.19) for all-cause mortality, respectively. No association was found for arachidonic acid. Conclusions: We observed opposing associations of individual omega-6 PUFA with mortality risk. While LA and γ-linolenic acid were associated with reduced risk, there was a direct association for adrenic acid and docosapentaenoic acid. These differences do not support the use of omega-6 PUFA concentrations as a single combined metric, and the prognostic value of each individual member should be examined separately.
Item Description:Available online 1 June 2017
Gesehen am 02.07.2018
Physical Description:Online Resource
ISSN:1876-4789
DOI:10.1016/j.jacl.2017.05.003