BIOMARKERS OF DIETARY-FAT COMPOSITION IN YOUNG-ADULTS WITH A PARENTALHISTORY OF PREMATURE CORONARY HEART-DISEASE COMPARED WITH CONTROLS - THE EARS STUDY

The European Atherosclerosis Research Study (EARS) is a study of the b iological expression of a paternal history of premature coronary heart disease. The study was carried out in 14 centres in 11 European count ries, where the offspring of fathers who suffered a documented myocard ial infarction before the age of 55 years (cases) were compared with a ge- and sex-matched controls. In this paper we describe the measuremen t of plasma cholesteryl esters as biomarkers for the fatty acid compos ition of the diet in the cases and controls. No significant difference s were found. Cholesteryl palmitate, oleate, linoleate and arachidonat e were measured in plasma and correlated with plasma lipids and lipopr oteins and with life-style variables including body-mass index, alcoho l consumption, tobacco and physical activity. The strongest correlatio ns were observed between cholesteryl esters and triglycerides, which a re positively correlated with cholesteryl oleate and negatively with c holesteryl linoleate. Apo B was negatively correlated with cholesteryl linoleate and positively with palmitate. Among the other variables, a lcohol was positively correlated with cholesteryl oleate and negativel y with linoleate, both in males and in females. Furthermore. there are differences between regions, with the highest percentages of saturate d cholesteryl palmitate measured in Finnish students, the highest perc entage of cholesteryl linoleate in Belgium and of cholesteryl arachido nate in Southern Europe.