Dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) is inversely related to risk for cardiac death and cardiovascular events during 2 years follow-up after admission for an acute coronary syndrome

Abstract

Background/Aim

Dihomo-gamma-linolenic acid (DGLA) is derived from linoleic acid. Its presence in red blood cell (RBC) membranes is mainly due to metabolism and not diet. RBC DGLA was negatively associated with all-cause mortality during 7 years follow-up in patients admitted with an acute coronary syndrome (ACS). We now present its 2-year cardiovascular prognostic utility compared to other n-6 fatty acids (FAs).

Methods

A total of 139 females and 259 males with a mean age of 71.9 ± 13.0 years were admitted consecutively in this study. Stepwise Cox regression models, applying continuous values of DGLA weight percent (wt %) and quartiles, were fitted for the biomarkers with cardiac death and a combined cardiovascular (CV) endpoint consisting of cardiac death or myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke as the dependent variables.

Results

Cardiac death was recorded in 57 patients, and the composite CV endpoint in 144 patients, respectively. DGLA was negatively associated with both endpoints, each with a p-value of <0.001 in univariate analysis. The hazard ratio (HR, per 1 wt % increase) remained significant after multivariable adjustment [cardiac death HR 0.51 (95 %CI 0.27–0.98), p = 0.042, and composite CV endpoint HR 0.61 (95 %CI 0.41–0.92), p = 0.017]. A similar pattern was obtained in ACS patients presenting with an acute MI at admission.

No association with any outcome was found with the other n-6 FAs [linoleic acid, arachidonic acid and adrenic acid].

Conclusion

Higher RBC DGLA predicts lower risk for cardiac death and cardiovascular outcomes at 2 years follow-up in ACS patients, whereas other n-6 FAs do not.

Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT00521976