Omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid levels are reduced in whole blood of Italian patients with a recent myocardial infarction: the AGE-IM study.
OBJECTIVE
The relationship between whole blood fatty acids and myocardial infarction (MI) risk has not been analyzed in detail, especially in Mediterranean countries. The AGE-IM (Acidi Grassi Essenziali e Infarto Miocardico) study was planned to examine the relationships between MI, whole blood fatty acids and the diet in an Italian cohort.


METHODS
119 Patients with a recent MI and 103 control subjects were enrolled in the study. The whole blood fatty acid composition was determined; information on anthropometrics, biochemical parameters and blood pressure values were also obtained. Diet composition was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire from 86 cases and 72 controls.


RESULTS
Total PUFA, omega-6 and omega-3 PUFA (as percentage of whole blood fatty acids) were significantly lower in MI patients than in matched controls, whereas saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were higher in cases. MI infarction risk significantly and steadily decreased with increasing levels of total PUFA (OR: 0.14) and of total omega-6 and omega-3 (OR: 0.15 and 0.37, respectively). No correlation was identified between dietary fats and MI risk or between whole blood fatty acid levels and dietary nutrients and fats.


CONCLUSIONS
Percentage levels of total PUFA, total omega-3 PUFA and total omega-6 PUFA are lower in MI patients than in matched control subjects in the AGE-IM cohort. These data support a favorable association not only of whole blood percentage levels of total omega-3, but also of total omega-6, with cardiovascular risk.
NFI - Nutrition Foundation of Italy, Viale Tunisia 38, 20124 Milano, Italy. Electronic address: marangoni@nutrition-foundation.it.
Franca
F
Marangoni
Chair and Division of Cardiology, University of Palermo, Via del Vespro 129, 90127 Palermo, Italy.
Giuseppina
G
Novo
Cardiology and Coronary Care Unit - Ospedali Riuniti Ancona, Via Conca 71, Loc. Torrette, 60122 Ancona, Italy.
Giampiero
G
Perna
Department of Advanced Biomedical Sciences, Università Federico II, Napoli, Italy.
Pasquale
P
Perrone Filardi
Cardiology and Coronary Care Unit, AO "Istituti Ospitalieri" di Cremona, Largo Priori 1, 26100 Cremona, Italy.
Salvatore
S
Pirelli
Molecular and Nutritional Epidemiology Unit, ISPO (Cancer Research and Prevention Institute) - Ponte Nuovo, Via delle Oblate 4, 50139 Firenze, Italy.
Marco
M
Ceroti
Molecular and Nutritional Epidemiology Unit, ISPO (Cancer Research and Prevention Institute) - Ponte Nuovo, Via delle Oblate 4, 50139 Firenze, Italy.
Andrea
A
Querci
NFI - Nutrition Foundation of Italy, Viale Tunisia 38, 20124 Milano, Italy.
Andrea
A
Poli
D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D001794:Blood Pressure; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004032:Diet; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000097:blood; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated / Q000097:blood; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000097:blood*; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis; D012307:Risk Factors
D005227:Fatty Acids; D005229:Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6
Coronary heart disease risk; Fatty acid profile; Myocardial infarction; Polyunsaturated fatty acids