We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
PURITAN MEDICAL

Download Mobile App




Omega-3 Levels Predict Death Risk Better Than Serum Cholesterol

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 27 Mar 2018
The value of measuring blood levels of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) omega-3 fatty acids to assess an individual's risk for developing certain disease has been investigated.

EPA and DHA, called for simplicity the Omega-3 Index, have been proposed as a risk factor for death from cardiovascular disease (CVD). More...
Consistent with these observations, there is an inverse relationship between the Omega-3 Index and the rate of telomere attrition, a marker of cellular aging.

Scientists at the Sanford School of Medicine (University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA) and their colleagues measured in 2,500 participants in the Offspring cohort of the Framingham Heart Study the EPA+DHA content of red blood cell membranes (Omega-3 Index). All of the individuals in present study were free of known cardiovascular disease (CVD) at baseline. The team primarily focused on total mortality (death from any cause) as an endpoint, but also tracked death from CVD, cancer and other causes. The population was 66 years of age at baseline and there were a few more females than males. The study followed these individuals for disease outcomes until about age 73.

Blood was drawn after a 10- to 12-hour fast into an EDTA tube, and red blood cells (RBCs) were separated from plasma by centrifugation. The RBC fraction was frozen at −80 °C immediately after collection. RBC fatty acid (FA) composition was determined. Briefly, RBCs were incubated at 100 °C using boron trifluoride methanol and hexane to generate FA methyl esters that were then analyzed by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. N-3 FAs analyzed included α-linolenic acid (ALA; 18:3n3), EPA (20:5n3), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA; 22:5n3), DHA (22:6n3), and the Omega-3 Index (EPA + DHA).

The scientists reported that a higher Omega-3 Index was associated with a lower risk for total CVD events, total coronary heart disease events, and total strokes. The category most strongly associated with the Omega-3 Index was non-CV, non-cancer deaths, that is deaths from all other causes. This would suggest a wide spectrum of beneficial actions of EPA and DHA in the body that are not just linked with one pathological process like plaque buildup in arteries.

William S. Harris, PhD, the lead author of the study, said, “We all know that the serum cholesterol level is a major risk factor for CHD, and since the latter is a major cause of death in the Western world, it would be reasonable to expect that a high cholesterol level would portend higher risk for premature death. This did not turn out to be the case here. When baseline serum cholesterol levels were substituted for the Omega-3 Index in the same multi-variable models, the former was not significantly associated with any of the tracked outcomes whereas the latter was related to four of the five outcomes assessed.” The study was published online on February 24, 2018, in the Journal of Clinical Lipidology.

Related Links:
Sanford School of Medicine


New
Gold Member
Serological Pipets
INTEGRA Serological Pipets
3-Part Differential Hematology Analyzer
Swelab Alfa Plus Sampler
New
Gold Member
Quality Control Material
iPLEX Pro Exome QC Panel
New
Drug Test Kit
DrugCheck 3000
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








DIASOURCE (A Biovendor Company)

Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: CitoCBC is the world first cartridge-based CBC to be granted CLIA Waived status by FDA (Photo courtesy of CytoChip)

Disposable Cartridge-Based Test Delivers Rapid and Accurate CBC Results

Complete Blood Count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered lab tests, crucial for diagnosing diseases, monitoring therapies, and conducting routine health screenings. However, more than 90% of physician... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: An “evolutionary” approach to treating metastatic breast cancer could allow therapy choices to be adapted as patients’ cancer changes (Photo courtesy of 123RF)

Evolutionary Clinical Trial to Identify Novel Biomarker-Driven Therapies for Metastatic Breast Cancer

Metastatic breast cancer, which occurs when cancer spreads from the breast to other parts of the body, is one of the most difficult cancers to treat. Nearly 90% of patients with metastatic cancer will... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: A real-time trial has shown that AI could speed cancer care (Photo courtesy of Campanella, et al., Nature Medicine)

AI Accurately Predicts Genetic Mutations from Routine Pathology Slides for Faster Cancer Care

Current cancer treatment decisions are often guided by genetic testing, which can be expensive, time-consuming, and not always available at leading hospitals. For patients with lung adenocarcinoma, a critical... Read more

Technology

view channel
Image: Researchers Dr. Lee Eun Sook and Dr. Lee Jinhyung examine the imprinting equipment used for nanodisk synthesis (Photo courtesy of KRISS)

Multifunctional Nanomaterial Simultaneously Performs Cancer Diagnosis, Treatment, and Immune Activation

Cancer treatments, including surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, have significant limitations. These treatments not only target cancerous areas but also damage healthy tissues, causing side effects... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.