Haemostasis in relation to dietary fat as estimated by erythrocyte fatty acid composition: The prime study

We investigated whether haemostatic variables were related with dietary fat ty acid composition as estimated by the fatty acid content of erythrocytes. Subjects were a subsample (n = 283) of the participants in the Prospective Epidemiological Study of Myocardial Infarction (PRIME) Study. Factor VII, fibrinogen, tissue-type plasminogen activator antigen (tPA-ag), plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1), D-dimer and von Willebrand factor (vWf ) were measured and the fatty acid composition was determined in the phosph olipids of total erythrocytes by gas chromatography. Statistical analyses w ere performed using multiple linear regression analyses with adjustment for age, center and body mass index. tPA-ag was significantly related to the n -3 fatty acids derived from fish. This was reflected in an inverse associat ion of all n - 3 fatty acids combined with tPA-ag (beta = -0.37 ng/ml/%, 95 % confidence intervals: -0.45, -0.29, P < .01). Positive and significant as sociations of D-dimer with arachidic and eicosamonoenoic acid were observed (P < .01). No relationships were found between fatty acids and fibrinogen, vWf, PAI-1 or factor VII. The results of this study suggest that consumpti on of n-3 fatty acids derived from fish may favourably influence tPA-ag. (C ) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.