title: Importance of fatty acid compositions in patients with peripheral arterial disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Importance of fatty acid components and imbalances has emerged in coronary heart disease. In this study, we analyzed fatty acids and ankle-brachial index (ABI) in a Japanese cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Peripheral arterial disease (PAD) was diagnosed in 101 patients by ABI ≤0.90 and/or by angiography. Traditional cardiovascular risk factors and components of serum fatty acids were examined in all patients (mean age 73.2±0.9 years; 81 males), and compared with those in 373 age- and sex-matched control subjects with no evidence of PAD.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The presence of PAD (mean ABI: 0.71±0.02) was independently associated with low levels of gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) (OR: 0.90; 95% CI: 0.85-0.96; P = 0.002), eicosapentaenoic acid∶arachidonic acid (EPA∶AA) ratio (OR: 0.38; 95% CI: 0.17-0.86; P = 0.021), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (OR: 0.97; 95% CI: 0.96-0.98; P<0.0001), and with a high hemoglobin A1c level (OR: 1.34; 95% CI: 1.06-1.69; P = 0.013). Individuals with lower levels of GLA (≤7.95 µg/mL) and a lower EPA∶AA ratio (≤0.55) had the lowest ABI (0.96±0.02, N = 90), while the highest ABI (1.12±0.01, N = 78) was observed in individuals with higher values of both GLA and EPA∶AA ratio (P<0.0001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A low level of GLA and a low EPA∶AA ratio are independently associated with the presence of PAD. Specific fatty acid abnormalities and imbalances could lead to new strategies for risk stratification and prevention in PAD patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan.
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gautam
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan.
authors.forename: Atsushi
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Izawa
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuji
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shiba
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan.
authors.forename: Hirohiko
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Motoki
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan.
authors.forename: Takahiro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takeuchi
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan.
authors.forename: Ayako
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Okada
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan.
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tomita
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan.
authors.forename: Yusuke
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyashita
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan.
authors.forename: Jun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Koyama
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Matsumoto, Nagano, Japan.
authors.forename: Uichi
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Ikeda
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D055109:Ankle Brachial Index; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000097:blood; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000097:blood; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D058729:Peripheral Arterial Disease / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D017965:gamma-Linolenic Acid / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid; D005227:Fatty Acids; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D017965:gamma-Linolenic Acid; C517652:hemoglobin A1c protein, human