EFFECT OF SERUM FATTY-ACID COMPOSITION ON CORONARY ATHEROSCLEROSIS INJAPAN

The serum lipid profiles of patient's with or without significant coro nary stenosis diagnosed by coronary angiography and of control subject s were compared. The level of high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol and eicosapentaenoic acid were significantly lower in the patients with s ignificant coronary stenosis than in the control subjects. It suggests that high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol and omega 3 fatty acids may have a protective effect on the progress of coronary atherosclerosis. The frequency of eating dark-meat fish was positively associated with serum eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid, w3 fatty acids, and inversely associated with serum stearic acid and linoleic acid. T he frequency of eating soybean products was positively associated with serum docosahexaenoic acid and inversely associated with serum linole ic acid. It is necessary to discuss a way to popularise a diet of dark -meat fish and soybean products as a means of preventing coronary hear t disease. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.