Marine-derived n-3 fatty acids and atherosclerosis in Japanese, Japanese-American, and white men: a cross-sectional study.
OBJECTIVE
We sought to examine whether marine-derived n-3 fatty acids are associated with less atherosclerosis in Japanese versus white populations in the U.S.


BACKGROUND
Marine-derived n-3 fatty acids at low levels are cardioprotective through their antiarrhythmic effect.


METHODS
A population-based cross-sectional study in 281 Japanese (defined as born and living in Japan), 306 white (defined as white men born and living in the U.S.), and 281 Japanese-American men (defined as Japanese men born and living in the U.S.) ages 40 to 49 years was conducted to assess intima-media thickness (IMT) of the carotid artery, coronary artery calcification (CAC), and serum fatty acids.


RESULTS
Japanese men had the lowest levels of atherosclerosis, whereas whites and Japanese Americans had similar levels. Japanese had 2-fold higher levels of marine-derived n-3 fatty acids than whites and Japanese Americans in the U.S. Japanese had significant and nonsignificant inverse associations of marine-derived n-3 fatty acids with IMT and CAC prevalence, respectively. The significant inverse association with IMT remained after adjusting for traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Neither whites nor Japanese Americans had such associations. Significant differences between Japanese and whites in multivariable-adjusted IMT (mean difference 39 mum, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 21 to 57mum, p < 0.001) and CAC prevalence (mean difference 10.7%, 95% CI: 2.9% to 18.4%, p = 0.007) became nonsignificant after we adjusted further for marine-derived n-3 fatty acids (22 mum, 95% CI: -1 to 46 mum, p = 0.065 and 5.0%, 95% CI: -5.3% to 15.4%, p = 0.341, respectively).


CONCLUSIONS
Very high levels of marine-derived n-3 fatty acids have antiatherogenic properties that are independent of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and may contribute to lower the burden of atherosclerosis in Japanese, a lower burden that is unlikely the result of genetic factors.
Sekikawa
Akira
A
University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA.
Curb
J David
JD
Ueshima
Hirotsugu
H
El-Saed
Aiman
A
Kadowaki
Takashi
T
Abbott
Robert D
RD
Evans
Rhobert W
RW
Rodriguez
Beatriz L
BL
Okamura
Tomonori
T
Sutton-Tyrrell
Kim
K
Nakamura
Yasuyuki
Y
Masaki
Kamal
K
Edmundowicz
Daniel
D
Kashiwagi
Atsunori
A
Willcox
Bradley J
BJ
Takamiya
Tomoko
T
Mitsunami
Ken-Ichi
K
Seto
Todd B
TB
Murata
Kiyoshi
K
White
Roger L
RL
Kuller
Lewis H
LH
D000328:Adult; D001213:Asian / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016893:Carotid Stenosis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D023921:Coronary Stenosis / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000097:blood*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017539:Tunica Intima / Q000473:pathology; D017540:Tunica Media / Q000473:pathology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D044465:White People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*
D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3