Serum fatty acids in postinfarction middle-aged men.

There is a multitude of data showing that coronary heart disease is affected by the quality of dietary fat. The fatty acid composition of serum lipids has been shown to reflect that of the diet. It is likely that, after myocardial infarction, both the health-care professionals and the patients themselves pay more attention to dietary guidelines. In order to assess the correctness of this assumption, we compared the composition of serum fatty acids in 40 male subjects with a history of myocardial infarction (MI) with that of 40 age-matched controls, both from the FINRISK study. The percentage composition of fatty acids of total serum lipids was analysed by gas chromatography. In comparison with the control group, the MI group had higher body mass index (BMI), a higher prevalence of diabetes, higher level of serum triglycerides and a lower level of serum high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, all indicators of the metabolic syndrome. The MI group had higher proportions of serum palmitic (16:0) and oleic acids (18:1), and a lower proportion of linoleic (18:2 n-6) acid than the control group. The metabolic syndrome is accompanied by an elevated level of serum insulin, which is known to enhance the synthesis of saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids, such as 16:0 and 18:1, and to stimulate the activity delta-6 desaturase, decreasing the concentration of linoleic acid. Our results suggest that the observed serum fatty acid composition in subjects with coronary heart disease is dependent on metabolic factors in addition to dietary fatty acid composition.