EATING FISH MAY REDUCE INFARCT SIZE AND THE OCCURRENCE OF Q-WAVE INFARCTS

Objective: The present investigation was carried out to see whether in take of fish could influence infarct size as assessed by peak enzyme l evels (CKmax and LDmax) as well as the occurrence of Q wave infarcts. Design: The investigation was a prospectively planned cohort study, Se tting: The investigation was carried out at Ulleval University Hospita l, Department of Cardiology and Department of Pharmacotherapeutics, Un iversity of Oslo, Oslo, and in four other Hospitals in Oslo and Lilleh ammer, Subjects: Seven hundred and forty-five patients (median age 70y , 64% males) admitted with proven acute myocardial infarction. Results : Crude effects showed that the regression lines between the number of fish meals/week (FM/week) and CKmax in all patients and in the restri cted cohorts of patients receiving/not receiving thrombolytic treatmen t were: y = 2086-157.x(2P = 0.004); y = 2807-156.x (2P = 0.110) and y = 1260-54.x (2P = 0.230); the corresponding results regarding LDmax we re: y = 1329-76.x (2P = 0.009); y = 1556-73.x (2P = 0.120) and y = 104 7-39. x (2P = 0.230), Odds ratio (OR) for developing Q wave infarcts i n patients consuming > 1.0 FM/week was 0.52, 95% confidence interval ( CI) 0.34-0.79; 2P = 0.001. For the adjusting effects, the coefficients of FM/week for log (peak enzyme levels) in all three groups of patien ts (all patients, and the restricted cohorts of patients receiving/not receiving thrombolytic treatment) were negative with 2P values of 0.0 14, 0.033 and 0.165 (CKmax), and 0.006, 0.033 and 0.158 (LDmax). OR fo r developing Q wave infarcts in patients consuming > 1.O FM/week was 0 .59, 95% CI 0.38-0.92; 2P = 0.022. Conclusion: The results indicate th at consuming fish may reduce infarct size as assessed by CKmax and LDm ax as well as the occurrence of Q wave infarcts.