title: Significant inverse association of marine n-3 fatty acids with plasma fibrinogen levels in Japanese in Japan but not in whites or Japanese Americans.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Numerous studies reported beneficial effects of marine n-3 fatty acids (n-3 FAs) on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and its risk factors. However, the association of marine n-3 FAs with plasma fibrinogen, a risk factor for CVD, remains uncertain.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a population-based, cross-sectional study of 795 men aged 40-49 without CVD (262 whites in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, USA, 302 Japanese in Kusatsu, Japan and 229 Japanese Americans in Honolulu, Hawaii, USA), we examined the association of marine n-3 FAs with plasma fibrinogen. Serum FAs were measured by capillary gas-liquid chromatography. Marine n-3 FAs were defined as the sum of docosahexaenoic, eicosapentaenoic and docosapentaenoic acids. Plasma fibrinogen was measured by an automated clot-rate assay. Multiple linear regression analyses were performed to assess the association.
  
  
  RESULTS
  White, Japanese and Japanese-American men had mean marine n-3 FAs levels of 3.47%, 8.78% and 4.46%, respectively. Japanese men had a significant inverse association of marine n-3 FAs with fibrinogen (standardized regression coefficient of -0.11, P=0.049), after adjusting for age, body-mass index and current smoking. The significant inverse association remained after further adjusting for diabetes, C-reactive protein, triglycerides and other variables. White or Japanese-American men did not show a significant association.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We observed the significant inverse association of marine n-3 FAs with fibrinogen in Japanese, but not in whites or Japanese Americans. The observation suggests that marine n-3 FAs at very high levels, as seen in the Japanese, may decrease plasma fibrinogen levels.
authors: Department of Epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA.
authors: L J
authors: LJ
authors: Hassen
authors: H
authors: H
authors: Ueshima
authors: J D
authors: JD
authors: Curb
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Choo
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Lee
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Masaki
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Kadowaki
authors: C
authors: C
authors: Shin
authors: R W
authors: RW
authors: Evans
authors: T B
authors: TB
authors: Seto
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Fujiyoshi
authors: B J
authors: BJ
authors: Willcox
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Sutton-Tyrrell
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Kadota
authors: A
authors: A
authors: El-Saed
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Miura
authors: L H
authors: LH
authors: Kuller
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Sekikawa
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000494:pharmacology; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005340:Fibrinogen / Q000378:metabolism*; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006254:Hawaii; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010414:Pennsylvania; D012307:Risk Factors; D044465:White People
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005395:Fish Oils; D005340:Fibrinogen