Plasma fatty acid profiles: Relationships with sex, age, and state- reported heart disease mortality rates in the United States.

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Fatty acids (FA) play an important role in health and heart disease risk.

OBJECTIVE

We evaluated relationships of plasma FA levels, especially omega-3 FA, with sex, age, and reported heart disease mortality rates by state in a very large clinical population.

METHODS

Plasma FA were measured by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry after lipid extraction in 1,169,621 fasting United States subjects grouped according to sex (56.2% female), age (<30, 30-<45, 45-<55, 55-<65, >/=65 years; median age 58.2 years), and state of residence.

RESULTS

Plasma FA index values (median+/-interquartile range), expressed as a percent of total plasma FA, in all subjects were: saturated (14:0+16:0+18:0) 31.4+/-1.5%; monounsaturated (16:1n7-cis+18:1n9-cis) 21.3+/-2.2%; trans (16:1n7-trans+18:1n9-trans) 0.45+/-0.08%; omega-6 (18:2n6-cis+20:3n6+20:4n6) 42.5+/-3.0%; and omega-3 (20:5n3+22:6n3) 2.57+/-0.81%. The median eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5n3) concentration was 22.1+/-9.7 mug/mL. Females had significantly (P<0.0001) higher omega-3 FA indices (+6.82%) than males. Subjects >/=65 years of age had a higher omega-3 FA index (+29.68%) and higher epa levels (+57.05%) than subjects <30 years of age (P<0.00001). epa concentrations and omega-3 FA indices were below overall median levels in most southern and midwestern states. State-reported heart disease mortality rates were inversely correlated with epa levels (r=-0.504) and omega-3 FA indices (r=-0.570), and positively correlated with saturated FA indices (r=0.450), all P<0.01.

CONCLUSION

In our large population, females, subjects >/=65 years, and those living in northeastern and western states had higher omega-3 fatty acid levels and lower saturated fatty acid levels than other subjects. Such changes were associated with lower state-wide heart disease death rates.