title: Plasma eicosapentaenoic acid is negatively associated with all-cause mortality among men and women in a population-based prospective study.
abstract: Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) have anti-inflammatory properties, whereas omega-6 PUFAs appear to have proinflammatory properties. We aimed to assess plasma omega-3 and omega-6 PUFA status in relation to all-cause mortality in an Australian community-based study. We hypothesized that omega-3 PUFA would be inversely associated, and omega-6 PUFA positively associated with all-cause mortality. Plasma phospholipid omega-3 (eicosapentaenoic acid [EPA], docosapentaenoic acid [DPA], docosahexaenoic acid, α-linolenic acid, and total) and omega-6 PUFAs (linoleic acid, arachidonic acid, and total) were measured among 1008 adults (44% men) in 1996. Plasma PUFA composition was quantified using gas chromatography. During 17-year follow-up, 98 men and 81 women died. After adjustment for potential confounding factors, plasma EPA was inversely associated with all-cause mortality overall (adjusted hazard ratio [HR] per 1-SD increase, 0.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.68-0.95), in men (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.62-0.98), and in women (HR, 0.78; 95% CI, 0.65-0.94), separately. Inverse associations with mortality among men were also seen for DPA (HR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.60-0.97) and α-linolenic acid (HR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.57-0.94). No omega-6 PUFAs were significantly associated with mortality. Our findings of reduced all-cause mortality in men and women who have high EPA in plasma, and in men with high plasma DPA and α-linolenic acid, partially support our hypothesis that omega-3 PUFAs help reduce mortality but provide no evidence that omega-6 PUFAs may increase mortality.
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Cancer and Population Studies Group, 300 Herston Rd, Herston, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia. Electronic address: Kyoko.Miura@qimrberghofer.edu.au.
authors.forename: Kyoko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Miura
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Cancer and Population Studies Group, 300 Herston Rd, Herston, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia.
authors.forename: Maria Celia B
authors.initials: MCB
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.affiliation: Queensland Health, Pathology Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia.
authors.forename: Jacobus Pj
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Ungerer
authors.affiliation: QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Cancer and Population Studies Group, 300 Herston Rd, Herston, Brisbane, Queensland 4006, Australia; CRUK Manchester Institute, University of Manchester, Wilmslow Rd, Manchester, UK.
authors.forename: Adèle C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Green
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000097:blood; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000097:blood; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000097:blood*; D015444:Exercise; D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D019787:Linoleic Acid / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009026:Mortality; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D005231:Fatty Acids, Unsaturated; D017962:alpha-Linolenic Acid; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D019787:Linoleic Acid; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid; C026219:docosapentaenoic acid
keywords: Arachidonic acid; Biomarkers; Docosahexaenoic acid; Eicosapentaenoic acid; Linoleic acid; Omega-3 fatty acids; Omega-6 fatty acids