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Serum dietary fatty acids and coronary heart disease risk - A nested case-control-study within the CARLA cohort

Daniel Medenwald, A. Kluttig, M. Lacruz, J. Schumann

NMCD. Nutrition Metabolism and Cardiovascular Diseases, 2019

73 participants · 7 citations

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

Diet is known to play a decisive role in the development of coronary heart disease (CHD). One factor believed to decrease lifetime risk of CHD is the consumption of omega-3 fatty acids. Yet, conclusive evidence regarding the potential cardioprotective effects of fatty acids is far from being reached. The present study aimed to provide further evidence on the association of serum fatty acid profiles with CHD risk.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The CARdio-vascular Disease, Living and Ageing in Halle study (CARLA study) is an observational cohort study comprising an older adult's general population with a high level of cardiovascular risk factors. In a matched case-control design the serum fatty acid concentrations of 73 subjects with an incident fatal or nonfatal CHD event were compared to 146 controls matched for sex and age. Our data show that the participants of the CARLA study are underserved in unsaturated fatty acids with respect to current dietary recommendations. In addition, the ratio of omega-6 to omega-3 fatty acids was determined to be 8:1 which underlines the consumption of a Western-style diet enriched in omega-6 fatty acids. There were no significant differences in fatty acid patterns between cases and controls. Thus, no clear association of particular serum fatty acid levels with cardiovascular risk was found.

CONCLUSION

Our results support the conclusion that in populations with a homogenous low level of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a case-control, done in people. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause. Reported size: 73 participants or records.

How the five levels of evidence work. The level is assigned automatically from the abstract and can be wrong, so check the paper.

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