title: Omega-3 fatty acids predict recurrent venous thromboembolism or total mortality in elderly patients with acute venous thromboembolism.
abstract: Essentials The role of omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 FAs) in recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) is unknown. Association of n-3 FAs with recurrent VTE or total mortality was investigated in 826 patients. Whole blood n-3 FAs were inversely correlated with recurrent VTE or total mortality. Major and non-major bleeding was not increased in patients with higher levels of n-3 FAs.
  
  
  
  Background The role of omega-3 fatty acids (n-3 FAs) in recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains unknown. Objectives To investigate the association of n-3 FAs with recurrent VTE or total mortality at 6 months and 3 years. Methods N-3 FAs were assessed in 826 patients aged ≥ 65 years, categorized into low, medium and high based on the 25th and 75th percentile. Mean follow-up was 29 months. Results At 6 months, subjects with medium (adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 0.37; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.22-0.62) and high n-3 FA levels (adjusted HR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.20-0.67) were less likely to develop recurrent VTE or total mortality, compared with those with low n-3 FAs. At 3 years, medium levels (adjusted HR, 0.67; 95% CI, 0.47-0.96) were associated with lower risk of recurrent VTE or total mortality. As compared with low n-3 FAs, the adjusted sub-hazard ratio [SHR] of recurrent VTE was 0.39 (95% CI, 0.15-0.99) in patients with medium and 0.17 (95% CI, 0.03-0.82) in patients with high n-3 FAs. The cumulative incidence of recurrent VTE was lower in the medium and high n-3 FA groups as compared with the low n-3 FA groups, but seems to have worn off after 3 years. The incidence of major and non-major bleeding was not greater in the high n-3 FA group. Conclusion Higher levels of n-3 FAs were associated with a lower risk of recurrent VTE or total mortality in elderly patients with VTE, but not with greater bleeding risk.
authors: Center for Molecular Cardiology, Laboratory for Platelet Research, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland.|Department of Internal Medicine, Cantonal Hospital of Baden, Baden, Switzerland.
authors: M F
authors: MF
authors: Reiner
authors: Center for Molecular Cardiology, Laboratory for Platelet Research, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland.|Department of Internal Medicine, Cantonal Hospital of Baden, Baden, Switzerland.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Stivala
authors: Clinical Trials Unit Bern, Department of Clinical Research, and Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Limacher
authors: Center for Molecular Cardiology, Laboratory for Platelet Research, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland.|Department of Internal Medicine, Cantonal Hospital of Baden, Baden, Switzerland.
authors: N R
authors: NR
authors: Bonetti
authors: Division of General Internal Medicine, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Méan
authors: Department of Internal Medicine, Cantonal Hospital of Baden, Baden, Switzerland.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Egloff
authors: Department of General Internal Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.|Institute of Primary Health Care (BIHAM), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors: N
authors: N
authors: Rodondi
authors: Department of General Internal Medicine, Bern University Hospital, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Aujesky
authors: Department of Preventive Cardiology, Ludwig-Maximilian University Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors: C
authors: C
authors: von Schacky
authors: Department of Cardiology, University Heart Center, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.|Center for Molecular Cardiology, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland.
authors: T F
authors: TF
authors: Lüscher
authors: Center for Molecular Cardiology, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland.
authors: G G
authors: GG
authors: Camici
authors: Center for Molecular Cardiology, Laboratory for Platelet Research, University of Zurich, Schlieren, Switzerland.|Department of Internal Medicine, Cantonal Hospital of Baden, Baden, Switzerland.
authors: J H
authors: JH
authors: Beer
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006470:Hemorrhage; D006801:Humans; D053208:Kaplan-Meier Estimate; D008297:Male; D009026:Mortality; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D016016:Proportional Hazards Models; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000188:drug therapy; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D054556:Venous Thromboembolism / Q000453:epidemiology*
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3
keywords: bleeding; deep vein thrombosis; omega-3 fatty acids; pulmonary embolism; recurrent venous thromboembolism