| Title: | Circulating Docosahexaenoic Acid and Risk of All-Cause and Cause-Specific Mortality |
| Journal: | Mayo Clinic Proceedings |
| Published: | 20 Mar 2024 |
| Pubmed: | https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38506781/ |
| DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mayocp.2023.11.026 |
| Citations: | 3 (3 in last 2 years) as of 8 Aug 2024 |
Publication 10081
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Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess the associations of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a marine omega-3 fatty acid, with long-term all-cause mortality, cardiovascular (CV) mortality, and cancer mortality.</p>
PATIENTS AND METHODS: We analyzed data from UK Biobank, which included 117,702 subjects with baseline plasma DHA levels and 12.7 years of follow-up between April 2007 and December 2021. Associations with risk for mortality endpoints were analyzed categorically by quintile of DHA plasma levels.</p>
RESULTS: Comparing the lowest to highest quintiles of circulating levels of DHA, there was 21% lower risk of all-cause mortality (HR, 0.79; 95% CI, 0.74 to 0.85; P<.0001). In a secondary analysis, we merged the UK Biobank findings with those from a recent FORCE (Fatty Acid and Outcome Research Consortium) meta-analysis that included 17 prospective cohort studies and 42,702 individuals examining DHA and mortality associations. The cumulative sample population included 160,404 individuals and 24,342 deaths during a median of 14 years of follow-up. After multivariable adjustment for relevant risk factors comparing the lowest to the highest quintiles of DHA, there was 17% lower risk of all-cause mortality (95% CI, 0.79 to 0.87; P<.0001), 21% lower risk for CV disease mortality (95% CI, 0.73 to 0.87; P<.001), 17% lower risk for cancer mortality (95% CI, 0.77 to 0.89; P<.0001), and 15% lower risk for all other mortality (95% CI, 0.79 to 0.91; P<.001).</p>
CONCLUSION: Higher DHA levels were associated with significant risk reductions in all-cause mortality, as well as reduced risks for deaths due to CV disease, cancer, and all other causes. The findings strengthen the hypothesis that DHA, a marine-sourced omega-3, may support CV health and lifespan.</p>
6 Authors
- Evan L O'Keefe
- James H O'Keefe
- Nathan L Tintle
- Jason Westra
- Luc Albuisson
- William S Harris
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