title: Platelet fatty acids and function in two distinct regions of Belgium: relationship to age and dietary habits.
abstract: We compared the dietary habits, fatty acid composition of plasma and platelet phospholipids, and platelet function in two groups of healthy Belgian male subjects, known to differ in their mortality rate from coronary heart disease (CHD). In the Walloon subjects, there was a larger intake of saturated and a lower intake of (n-6) polyunsaturated fats, confirmed by the fatty acid composition of plasma and platelet phospholipids. While plasma HDL and total cholesterol were similar in the present samples of the two communities, platelet aggregation to epinephrine was significantly higher in the Walloon subjects. When the two populations were divided into younger (28-54 years) and older (55-73 years) age groups, the older Walloon subjects exhibited platelet hyper-aggregability to most of the agonists, compared to the other three groups. In addition to dietary fats, alcohol and smoking habits, age was an important determinant of platelet phospholipid fatty acids and platelet reactivity. The present results reinforce those of previous studies, indicating that platelet behaviour is significantly affected by the main risk factors for CHD.
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Medicale, Bron, France.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Renaud
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: De Backer
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thevenon
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Joossens
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vermylen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kornitzer
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Verstraete
mesh_terms: D000375:Aging / Q000097:blood; D001530:Belgium / Q000453:epidemiology; D001780:Blood Coagulation Tests; D001792:Blood Platelets / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000208:ethnology*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005006:Ethnicity; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood*; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000097:blood; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000502:physiology; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012907:Smoking / Q000208:ethnology
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D005227:Fatty Acids; D010743:Phospholipids