Plasma free fatty acid level patterns according to cardiovascular risk status in postmenopausal women.
BACKGROUND
The present study examines changes in the pattern of plasma free polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) according to menopausal status and the existence of diabetes mellitus (DM) or coronary heart disease (CHD) in Korean women.


METHODS
The participants were as follows; premenopausal women (PRE, n=20) and postmenopausal women without any known chronic disease (POST, n=35), with DM (DM, n=35), or with angiographically proven CHD (CHD, n=30). Plasma free fatty acids were measured in all participants.


RESULTS
Healthy premenopausal women had a higher ratio of omega-3/omega-6 PUFA than postmenopausal women (p=0.001). As expected, the PRE group had higher docsapentaenoic acid (DPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels (p<0.05) and lower arachidonic acid levels (p<0.05) than the POST group. In turn, the healthy POST group had higher levels of DPA and DHA compared to the DM or CHD groups (p<0.05). There were significant shifts of increased omega-6 and decreased omega-3 among the women, according to each disease.


CONCLUSIONS
There was a significant relationship between omega-3 and omega-6 PUFA profiles and risk for CHD in women. This metabolic profile of PUFA might be an important surrogate marker in postmenopausal women.
Rhee
Yumie
Y
Department of Internal Medicine & Endocrine Research Institute, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Paik
Man-Jeong
MJ
Kim
Kyoung-Rae
KR
Ko
Young-Guk
YG
Kang
Eun Seok
ES
Cha
Bong Soo
BS
Lee
Hyun Chul
HC
Lim
Sung-Kil
SK
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000209:etiology*; D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified / Q000097:blood*; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D008875:Middle Aged; D009930:Organic Chemicals; D017698:Postmenopause / Q000097:blood*; D012307:Risk Factors
D005230:Fatty Acids, Nonesterified; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D009930:Organic Chemicals; C021593:tsolipk 7b