Gender differences in the ratio of eicosapentaenoic acid to arachidonic acid in an inland prefecture, Tochigi: Tochigi Ryomo EPA/AA Trial in Coronary Artery Disease (TREAT-CAD).
OBJECTIVE
The plasma eicosapentaenoic acid to arachidonic acid ratio (EPA/AA), which is determined only by dietary intake, has been attracting attention as a new risk marker for coronary artery disease (CAD). A Japanese inland prefecture, Tochigi, ranks higher mortality rate from CAD and lower seafood consumption, compared to other prefectures. The aim of this study was to investigate the EPA/AA ratio in residents of Tochigi prefecture.


METHODS
We measured the EPA/AA ratio in patients undergoing diagnostic coronary angiography, because of suspicion for having CAD, all of whom were residents of Tochigi prefecture or its bordering area. Patients A total of 428 patients were enrolled in 5 centers.


RESULTS
The median value of the EPA/AA ratio in the study patients was 0.37, which seems to be lower than the value of the whole Japan. The EPA/AA ratio was similar in patients with and without CAD. Female patients had lower EPA/AA ratios than male patients. When subjects were divided into 10-year age groups, 30- to 39-year-old male and female patients displayed similar EPA/AA ratios. However, the ratios of 50- to 59-year old female patients (p=0.001) and 60- to 69-year old female patients (p=0.034) were significantly lower than those of age-matched male patients.


CONCLUSIONS
In female residents of Tochigi prefecture, and particularly in menopausal female patients suspected of CAD, the EPA/AA ratio might be lower than male patients. EPA intake can help prevent cardiovascular events, especially in menopausal female residents of an area where the fish intake is low.
Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Dokkyo Medical University, Japan.
Yoshiyuki
Y
Kitagawa
Shichiro
S
Abe
Shigeru
S
Toyoda
Shintaro
S
Watanabe
Katsuto
K
Ebisawa
Yoshiaki
Y
Murakami
Toshiyuki
T
Takahashi
Hiroyuki
H
Sugimura
Isao
I
Taguchi
Teruo
T
Inoue
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D003324:Coronary Artery Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000208:ethnology*; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid