Associations of serum n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids with echocardiographic measures among older adults: the Hoorn Study

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 67; no. 12; pp. 1277 - 1283
• Main Authors: Reinders, I, van Ballegooijen, A J, Visser, M, Elshorbagy, A K, Refsum, H, Henry, R M A, Dekker, J M, Nijpels, G, Stehouwer, C D A, Brouwer, I A
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Nature Publishing Group UK 01.12.2013; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: 631/45/287/1183; 692/700/1421/1860/1445; Aged; alpha-Linolenic Acid - blood; Biological and medical sciences; Cardiovascular diseases; Cardiovascular system; Clinical Nutrition; Confidence intervals; Cross-Sectional Studies; Docosahexaenoic acid; Docosahexaenoic Acids - blood; Echocardiography; Eicosapentaenoic acid; Eicosapentaenoic Acid - blood; Epidemiology; Fatty acids; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - blood; Fatty Acids, Omega-6 - blood; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fish oils; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gas liquid chromatography; Health aspects; Heart Atria - diagnostic imaging; Heart function; Heart Rate; Heart Ventricles - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Internal Medicine; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Linoleic acid; Linoleic Acid - blood; Linolenic acid; Liquid chromatography; Male; Medical sciences; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Metabolic Diseases; Middle Aged; Older people; original-article; Physiological aspects; Polyunsaturated fatty acids; Population studies; Public Health; Quartiles; Regression analysis; Regression coefficients; Risk factors; Statistical analysis; Stroke Volume; Ultrasonic imaging; Ultrasonic investigative techniques; Unsaturated fatty acids; Ventricle; Ventricular Function, Left; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; Netherlands; epidemiology; systolic function; elderly; polyunsaturated fatty acids; echocardiography; Sonography; Human; Echocardiography; Polyunsaturated fatty acid; Lipids; Metabolic diseases; Epidemiology; n-6 fatty acid; Association; Unsaturated fatty acid; Serum; Elderly
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/ejcn.2013.167

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Lower circulating polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) may induce loss of heart function. We investigated whether lower concentrations of n -3 and n -6 PUFAs were associated with less favourable echocardiographic measures and higher heart rate in older Caucasians, cross-sectionally and after 7 years of follow-up. SUBJECTS/METHODS: We used data from the Hoorn Study, a population-based cohort. Cross-sectional data were available for 621 participants and longitudinal data for 336 participants. Mean age was 68.6±6.8 years at baseline. We performed linear regression analyses using n -3 and n -6 PUFAs quartiles—assayed by gas liquid chromatography—with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), left ventricular mass index, left atrial volume index and heart rate. RESULTS: In multivariable analyses (regression coefficient (95% confidence interval)), the lowest eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid quartiles compared with the highest quartiles were cross-sectionally associated with lower LVEF. Lower eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid concentrations were associated with higher heart rate: 3.7 b.p.m. (1.5, 6.0; P for trend <0.001) and 3.4 b.p.m. (1.2, 5.6; P for trend 0.001), respectively. Multivariate longitudinal analyses showed a significant trend across quartiles for alpha-linolenic acid in relation to LVEF. The lowest linoleic acid quartile was significantly associated with a decreased LVEF of −4.0% compared with the highest quartile. CONCLUSIONS: This study found no strong evidence of longitudinal associations of eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid with echocardiographic measures, however, lower concentrations of alpha-linolenic acid and linoleic acid were associated with decreased LVEF. These results provide evidence for a potential protective role of alpha-linolenic acid and linoleic acid in relation to systolic function.