title: Vascular composition data supporting the role of N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the prevention of cardiovascular disease events.
abstract: N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are thought to have protective effects against cardiovascular disease. Here, we report the relationship between serum PUFA concentrations and plaque composition, as evaluated by virtual histology-intravascular ultrasound (VH-IVUS). Consecutive patients (n=61) who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) were pre-operatively examined using VH-IVUS to assess the composition of culprit plaques. Gray-scale IVUS and VH-IVUS data of fibrous, fibro-fatty, necrotic core, and dense calcium regions of plaques were estimated at the minimal luminal area sites of culprit lesions. Serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and PUFAs, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and arachidonic acid (AA), were compared between patients with (ACS, n=27) and without acute coronary syndrome (non-ACS, n=34) before PCI. Multiple logistic regression analysis of the data showed that EPA/AA under the median was more highly associated with ACS than hsCRP over the median. In addition, EPA/AA was negatively correlated with the percentage of fibrous plaque regions and EPA/AA and DHA/AA were positively correlated with the percentage of dense calcium regions in plaques. Furthermore, the correlation index of EPA/AA was the most highly (R=0.513) correlated with the percentage of dense calcium regions in plaques.
authors.affiliation: Fukushima Red Cross Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Fukushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ohwada
authors.affiliation: Fukushima Medical University, Department of Cardiology and Hematology, Fukushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Tetsuro
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Yokokawa
authors.affiliation: Fukushima Medical University, Department of Cardiology and Hematology, Fukushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kanno
authors.affiliation: Fukushima Red Cross Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Fukushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hotsuki
authors.affiliation: Fukushima Red Cross Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Fukushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Takayuki
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sakamoto
authors.affiliation: Fukushima Red Cross Hospital, Department of Cardiology, Fukushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Kenichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Watanabe
authors.affiliation: Fukushima Medical University, Department of Cardiology and Hematology, Fukushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Kazuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nakazato
authors.affiliation: Fukushima Medical University, Department of Cardiology and Hematology, Fukushima, Japan.
authors.forename: Yasuchika
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Takeishi
keywords: Acute coronary syndrome; Eicosapentaenoic acid; N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids; Stable coronary disease; Virtual histology-intravascular ultrasound