Erythrocyte fatty acid profiles can predict acute non-fatal myocardial infarction

Abstract

The risk of CHD has been linked to n-3 and bans-fatty acids. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the hypothesis that lower n-3 fatty acids and higher traps-fatty acids in erythrocytes are associated with an increased risk of acute non-fatal myocardial infarction (MI), and that fatty acid profiles can discriminate MI cases from controls. Fifty cases with acute non-fatal MI and fifty age- and sex-matched controls without MI were recruited. The Omega-3 Index (the sum of EPA and DHA in erythrocytes) was significantly lower in cases than controls (9.57 (SEM 0.28) v. 11.81 (SEM 0.35) %; P<0.001), while total traps-fatty acids were significantly higher (1.01 (SEM 0.04) v. 0.56 (SEM 0.03) %; P<0.001). The Omega-3 Index was associated with decreased risk of MI (OR 0.08 (95 % CI 0.02, 0.38); P=0.001), while total traps-fatty acids were associated with an increased risk of MI (OR 7267 (95 % CI 6.68, 79074); P<0.001). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of fatty acid profiles was larger than that for traditional risk factors, suggesting that fatty acid profiles make a higher contribution to the discrimination of MI cases from controls compared with modified Framingham risk factors. In conclusion, a higher Omega-3 Index and lower traps-fatty acids in erythrocytes are associated with a decreased risk of MI. Furthermore, fatty acid profiles improve discrimination of acute non-fatal MI compared with established risk factors.