Comparison of eicosapentaenoic acid concentrations in plasma between patients with ischemic stroke and control subjects

• Published in: Nutrition (Burbank, Los Angeles County, Calif.) Los Angeles County, Calif.), 2013, Vol.29 (1), p.127-131
• Main Authors: Ikeya, Yoshimori, M.D, Fukuyama, Naoto, M.D., Ph.D, Kitajima, Waichi, M.D., Ph.D, Ogushi, Yoichi, Ph.D, Mori, Hidezo, M.D., Ph.D
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Alcoholic beverages; Arachidonic Acid - blood; Atherosclerosis (general aspects, experimental research); Atherosclerosis - blood; Atherosclerosis - complications; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Body Mass Index; Cardioembolism; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular disease; Cardiovascular Diseases - blood; Case-Control Studies; Cholesterol; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; Cross-Sectional Studies; Dietary Supplements; Eicosapentaenoic acid; Eicosapentaenoic Acid - blood; Embolism - blood; Embolism - complications; Fatty acids; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - administration & dosage; Feeding. Feeding behavior; Female; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gastroenterology and Hepatology; Humans; Ischemic stroke; Large-artery atherosclerosis; Logistic Models; Male; Medical sciences; Metabolic disorders; Middle Aged; Multivariate Analysis; Neurology; Plasma; Prevention of ischemic stroke; Regression analysis; Risk Factors; Statistics, Nonparametric; Stroke; Stroke - blood; Stroke - etiology; Stroke - prevention & control; Studies; Vascular diseases and vascular malformations of the nervous system; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems; ω-3 Fatty acids
• ISSN: 0899-9007; 1873-1244
• DOI: 10.1016/j.nut.2012.05.003

Abstract Objective ω-3 fatty acids, including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), prevent ischemic stroke. However, the clinical importance of EPA for ischemic stroke and its subtype has not been fully elucidated. Methods In a cross-sectional study, we determined whether ω-3 fatty acids were predictive factors for ischemic stroke. We compared common clinical parameters among 65 patients with ischemic stroke and 65 control subjects. The parameters included blood chemistry data; concentrations of EPA, docosahexaenoic acid, and arachidonic acid (AA); EPA/AA ratio; smoking; alcohol intake; fish consumption more than four times per week; and the incidence of underlying diseases. The comparisons were performed using the Mann-Whitney U test, and multiple logistic regression analysis was applied to the significant factors in the non-parametric test. We also applied the same approach to the ischemic stroke subtypes, cardioembolism and large-artery atherosclerosis. Results In the multiple logistic regression analysis after the Mann-Whitney U test, a lower EPA concentration was one of the significant risk factors for ischemic stroke, as were a lower body mass index, lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and smoking (sensitivity 0.846, specificity 0.831, positive predictive value 0.833). In the analysis of subtypes, a lower EPA/AA ratio and a lower body mass index were the significant risk factors for cardioembolism (sensitivity 0.800, specificity 0.733, positive predictive value 0.750). However, large-artery atherosclerosis was not related to the EPA concentration or the EPA/AA ratio. Conclusions In this study, the plasma EPA concentration and the EPA/AA ratio were potential predictive risk factors for ischemic stroke, especially for cardioembolism. Further prospective studies are necessary.