Association of serum eicosapentaenoic acid to arachidonic acid ratio with microalbuminuria in a population of community-dwelling Japanese

Background: Epidemiological evidence suggests that the increased intake of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids can prevent atherosclerosis-related cardiovascular diseases. Recently, serum eicosapentaenoic acid to arachidonic acid (EPA/AA) ratio has been reported to be a predictive marker of cardiovascular events. Accordingly, we examined the relationship between serum EPA/AA ratio and microalbuminuria. Methods: We enrolled 444 residents (174 males and 270 females, mean age 66.6 +/- 9.3 years) who underwent a physical examination in Uku town (fishing area) in Japan. They received blood tests including serum levels of EPA and AA, and urine test to examine microalbuminuria. Eating and drinking patterns were evaluated by a brief self-administered diet history questionnaire. Microalbuminuria was defined as a urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR) >= 30 mg/g Cr. Results: The mean EPA/AA ratio was 0.66 +/- 0.3 in males and 0.51 +/- 0.2 in females. Multiple stepwise regression analyses revealed that systolic blood pressure (p < 0.0001), high sensitive C-reactive protein (p < 0.01), serum EPA/AA ratio (p < 0.01, inversely), and hemoglobin A(1c) (p < 0.05) were significantly associated with microalbuminuria. In the group with low serum EPA/AA ratio, the prevalence of microalbuminuria was significantly higher than the other, after the adjustments for confounding factors (odds ratio, 3.45; 95% confidence interval, 1.47-8.13; p < 0.01). Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that serum EPA/AA ratio was strongly associated with microalbuminuria. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.