Long-term fish consumption is associated with lower risk of 30-day cardiovascular disease events in survivors from an acute coronary syndrome

Neither Trimethylamine-N-Oxide nor Trimethyllysine Is Associated with Atherosclerosis: A Cross-Sectional Study in Older Japanese Adults

Recent evidence suggests that trimethylamine-N-oxide (TMAO), a metabolite of L-carnitine and choline, is linked to atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. As TMAO content is very high in fish, we raised the following question: why do Japanese people, who consume lots of fish, show a low risk of atherosclerosis? To address this question, we investigated the effects of TMAO and other L-carnitine-related metabolites on carotid intima-media thickness (IMT). Participants were recruited from a small island and a mountainous region. Plasma L-carnitine, γ-butyrobetaine (γBB), TMAO, trimethyllysine (TML), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels were measured using liquid or gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Plasma L-carnitine concentration was higher in men than in women. TMAO and TML were significantly higher in the residents of the island than in the mountainous people. In multiple linear regression analyses in all participants, TML showed a significant inverse association with max-IMT and plaque score (PS), whereas TMAO did not show any associations. In women, L-carnitine was positively associated with max-IMT and PS. TMAO was correlated with both EPA and DHA levels, implying that fish is a major dietary source of TMAO in Japanese people. Our study found that plasma TMAO was not an apparent risk factor for atherosclerosis in elderly Japanese people, whereas a low level of TML might be a potential risk. L-carnitine may be a marker for atherosclerosis in women.

Coronary artery stenosis and associations with indicators of anthropometric and diet in patients undergoing coronary angiography

BACKGROUND

Coronary artery diseases (CAD) are one of the major causes of mortality, which is related to the nutritional status and anthropometric indices of individuals. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between anthropometric indices, the type of protein consumption in meat group and vegetable consumption with coronary artery stenosis.

METHODS

This descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study was conducted in Shariati Hospital in Tehran in 2016. Out of the patients undergoing coronary angiography, 208 cases were assigned to participate in the study of simple random sampling. The required data were collected by Food Frequency questionnaire (FFQ), anthropometric indices and physical activity questionnaire. SPSS software (version #21) was used for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

The number of coronary arteries with more than 50% stenosis was increased by high consumption of red meat (P = 0.014), egg (P = 0.006) and chicken (P = 0.030) and low consumption of legume (P = 0.000), soybean (P = 0.002) and vegetables (P = 0.003). Also, the consumption of garlic and onion was associated with a decrease in the severity of stenosis in left anterior descending (LAD) (P = 0.036), and right coronary artery (RCA) (P = 0.033). There was a significant and positive correlation among waist circumference, wrist circumference and body mass index in patients with coronary artery stenosis and a negative correlation between the height of the patient and the history of previous angiography.

CONCLUSION

High consumption of vegetable proteins, vegetables, maintaining BMI and waist circumference in the normal range, were associated with reduced severity of coronary artery stenosis. In addition high consumption of red meat, chicken and egg is associated with higher severity and number of coronary stenosis.

Dose-response of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on lipid profile and tolerability in mildly hypertriglyceridemic subjects

The n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are known to reduce risk for coronary heart disease partly by altering blood lipids. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of low doses of n-3 PUFAs on the lipid profile and their tolerability in mildly hypertriglyceridemic subjects. Subjects with a serum triacylglycerol (TG) level between 100 and 300 mg/dL were placed on a corn oil placebo (seven capsules per day; single-blind) for 4 weeks and then randomized to continue seven capsules per day of placebo (n = 49) or one of the following doses of n-3 PUFAs for 20 weeks: 0.5 g (n = 51), 1 g (n = 23), or 2 g (n = 12). During the treatment period, 48-50% of the 1-g and 2-g dose groups reported noticing burping (P < .05), and only about half as many in the 0.5-g group noticed burping. Interestingly, 2% of those assigned to the placebo did report a fishy burping during the study, but this dropped back to nearly 0% by week 20. There was no significant effect for any dosage group on fasting and postprandial serum TG, chylomicron TG, very-low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, or high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentration. However, 1-g and 2-g n-3 PUFA treatments significantly increased total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol concentration. In addition, all doses of n-3 PUFA treatments significantly increased plasma phospholipid n-3 PUFAs. We conclude that doses of n-3 PUFAs of 0.5-2 g/day in healthy volunteers with above average TG levels did not have beneficial effects on their lipid profiles.