title: Long-term fish consumption is associated with protection against arrhythmia in healthy persons in a Mediterranean region--the ATTICA study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Dietary habits have long been associated with many manifestations of cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We sought to investigate whether a diet enriched with fish and n-3 fatty acid consumption are associated with changes in the potential duration of the electrical action, as represented by the QT duration on a resting electrocardiogram, in a population-based sample of Greek adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  During 2001 and 2002, we randomly enrolled 1514 men (18-87 y old) and 1528 women (18-89 y old) stratified by age and sex distribution (in the 2001 Greek census) from the Attica area, Greece. We studied several demographic, anthropometric, lifestyle, dietary, and bioclinical factors of the participants. Dietary habits (including fish consumption) were evaluated by using a validated food-frequency questionnaire. All subjects underwent electrocardiography with a 12-lead surface, in which, along with several other indexes, QT duration was measured, and the heart rate-corrected QT (QTc) was calculated (corrected by using Bazett's rate). The tested hypothesis was evaluated through multiple linear regression analysis, after control for physical activity status, sex, age, medication intake, and several other potential confounders.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with fish nonconsumers, those who consumed >300 g fish/wk had a mean 13.6% lower QTc (P<0.01). These findings were confirmed after adjustment for age, sex, physical activity status, BMI, smoking habits, intake of nuts, and other confounders. Moreover, compared with fish nonconsumers, those who consumed >or=300 g fish/wk had a 29.2% lower likelihood of having QTc intervals >0.45 s (P=0.03).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Long-term consumption of fish is associated with lower QTc interval in free-eating people without any evidence of cardiovascular disease. Thus, fish intake seems to provide antiarrhythmic protection at a population level.
authors.affiliation: First Cardiology Clinic, School of Medicine, University of Athens, Athens, Greece. chrysohoou@usa.net
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chrysohoou
authors.forename: Demosthenes B
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Panagiotakos
authors.forename: Christos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pitsavos
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Skoumas
authors.forename: Xenofon
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Krinos
authors.forename: Yannis
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Chloptsios
authors.forename: Vassilios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Nikolaou
authors.forename: Christodoulos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stefanadis
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004034:Diet Surveys; D038441:Diet, Mediterranean; D004562:Electrocardiography; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006306:Health Surveys; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D009754:Nuts; D017747:Seafood; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3