Omega-6 fatty acids and risk of heart failure in the Physicians' Health Study

Am J Clin Nutr. 2013 Jan;97(1):66-71. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.112.048991. Epub 2012 Nov 28.

Abstract

Background: Although 1 in 5 adults will develop heart failure (HF) in their lifetime, data on the effect of plasma omega-6 (n-3) PUFAs on risk of HF are currently sparse.

Objectives: We investigated whether plasma phospholipid omega-6 concentrations are associated with risk of HF in US male physicians. In a secondary analysis, we evaluated whether such an association differs between HF with and without previous myocardial infarction (MI).

Design: With the use of a nested case-control design, this ancillary study comprised 788 cases and 788 matched controls from the Physicians' Health Study. Plasma omega-6 PUFAs were measured by using gas chromatography.

Results: The mean age of subjects was 58.7 y with a mean follow-up time of 17.1 y. We did not show any evidence of a statistically significant relation between total omega-6 PUFAs and HF [OR (95% CI): 1.00; 0.85 (0.63, 1.14); 0.84 (0.63, 1.13); and 0.87 (0.63, 1.20) across consecutive quartiles of omega-6 PUFAs; P-linear trend = 0.39]. Results were similar for HF with and without previous MI.

Conclusion: Our data showed no significant association between total plasma omega-6 PUFAs and risk of developing HF.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Case-Control Studies
  • Chromatography, Gas
  • Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / blood*
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Myocardial Infarction / blood
  • Myocardial Infarction / epidemiology*
  • Myocardial Infarction / physiopathology
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
  • Risk Factors
  • Surveys and Questionnaires
  • United States / epidemiology

Substances

  • Fatty Acids, Omega-6