Abstract
Background: Research suggests omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) exert favorable effects on several biological processes involved in the development and progression of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD). However, studies examining the relationship between omega-3 PUFAs and peripheral artery disease (PAD) are scarce. Objectives: We evaluated the associations between omega-3 PUFAs and incident PAD in a meta-analysis of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) and Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) study cohorts. Methods: Omega-3 PUFAs eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) were measured at baseline for all MESA (n = 6495) and Minnesota ARIC participants (n = 3612). Incident clinical PAD events (MESA n = 106; ARIC n = 149) identified primarily through ICD discharge codes were assessed through follow-up of each cohort. Associations between omega-3 PUFAs (EPA, DHA, and EPA+DHA) and incident PAD were modeled in MESA and ARIC as quartiles and continuously using Cox proportional hazards regression, respectively. A fixed-effects meta-analysis was conducted to evaluate associations in the 2 cohorts combined. Results: In the fully adjusted model, in 10,107 participants, no significant associations were observed between EPA, DHA, or EPA+DHA, and incident PAD modeled as quartiles or continuously for either MESA or ARIC cohorts separately or in the meta-analysis after a follow-up of approximately 15 y. Conclusion: This study is consistent with previous literature indicating that the beneficial effects of omega-3 PUFAs on the markers of ASCVD may not translate to a clinically meaningful decrease in PAD risk.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 87-94 |
Number of pages | 8 |
Journal | Journal of Nutrition |
Volume | 154 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 2024 |
Bibliographical note
Publisher Copyright:© 2023 American Society for Nutrition
Keywords
- ARIC
- DHA
- EPA
- MESA
- Omega-3 PUFAs
- PAD
- fatty acids