High concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids are associated with the development of atrial fibrillation in the Japanese population
Heart and Vessels,
Tomita T et al. – These findings suggest that an excess of EPA might be a precipitating factor of atrial fibrillation (AF).
Methods- Authros evaluated the serum concentrations of n–3 PUFAs in 110 patients with AF, 46 patients with ischemic heart disease (IHD) and no AF, and 36 healthy volunteers.
- 36 patients had a history of IHD (IHD–AF group) and 74 did not (L–AF group).
- The eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) levels in the L–AF group were higher than those in the IHD–AF and control groups (117 ± 64, 76 ± 30, and 68 ± 23 μg/ml, respectively); the docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels showed the same pattern (170 ± 50, 127 ± 27, and 126 ± 35 μg/ml, respectively).
- In both the L–AF and IHD–AF groups, the EPA levels in patients with persistent and permanent AF were higher than those in patients with paroxysmal AF (L–AF 131 ± 74 vs. 105 ± 51 μg/ml; IHD–AF 82 ± 28 vs 70 ± 33 μg/ml).
- Multivariate analysis showed that cases of AF were associated with higher levels of EPA but not DHA.
- In this Japanese population study, the EPA and DHA levels in patients with L–AF were higher than those in normal subjects.
- In particular, the EPA level was associated with the incidence of AF.
