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Relationship between n-3 and n-6 plasma fatty acid levels and insulin resistance in coronary patients with and without metabolic syndrome

Nigam A, Frasure-Smith N, Lespérance F, Julien P

Nutrition, metabolism, and cardiovascular diseases : NMCD, 2009

734 participants

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Animal studies show that ecosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are effective for the prevention and treatment of insulin resistance (IR). Data from human studies are contradictory. We sought to determine whether the relationships between plasma n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (FA) levels and IR differ according to the presence or absence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in a coronary heart disease sample.

METHOD AND RESULTS: Clinical, metabolic parameters, plasma phospholipid FA profiles and indirect measurement of IR (homeostatic model assessment-HOMA) were measured in 734 subjects, 8 weeks following acute coronary syndrome. FA levels and their correlations with IR were compared in subjects with and without MS. MS patients had higher saturated (16:0, 18:0) and n-6 (18:3n-6, 20:3n-6, 22:4n-6, 22:5n-6) FA levels, and lower EPA and DHA levels. HOMA-IR correlated positively with total saturated (r=0.13, P=0.017) and n-6 (r=0.17, P=0.001) FA levels and negatively with total n-3 FA levels (r=-0.13, P=0.012), in MS subjects only. Total n-3 and n-6 FAs and n-6/n-3 ratio were associated with HOMA-IR levels in MS subjects independent of total saturated FA levels, age, sex, sedentary behaviour, smoking, waist circumference, triglycerides, HDL-cholesterol, and systolic blood pressure.

CONCLUSIONS: Relationships between polyunsaturated FA type and IR vary according to the presence or absence of MS. N-3 FAs including EPA and DHA are associated…

How strong is the evidence?

Evidence Hub reads this as a cross-sectional, done in people. Its evidence level is 4 of 5 (Low · observational). Observational designs can show an association but not prove cause. Reported size: 734 participants or records.

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