Background: In animal models of acute myocardial infarction, n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) administered before coronary occlusion have been suggested to prevent induction of ventricular arrhythmia and limit infarct size. However, the relation between the serum levels of n-3 PUFAs and ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury remains unclear.
Methods: 211 patients with ST-segment elevation acute myocardial infarction received emergency percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) within 6h from the onset. The patients were divided into two groups according to the sum of serum eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) levels and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) levels before PCI: group L (n=106), EPA+DHA <155μg/ml and group H (n=105), EPA+DHA ≥155μg/ml. The Selvester QRS-scoring system was used to estimate the serial change in infarct size.
Results: Time to reperfusion was similar between the 2 groups. The QRS score before PCI was higher in group L than in group H (2.42±2.00 vs 1.85±2.01, p=0.015). The proportion of patients with I/R injury immediately after reperfusion, defined as reperfusion ventricular arrhythmias (25% vs 11%, p=0.006) and ST-segment re-elevation (44% vs 22%, p<0.001), was also higher in group L than in group H, followed by a greater increment in the QRS score during PCI (3.51±2.51 vs 2.54±1.91, p=0.006) and higher peak levels of creatinine phosphokinase (3552±241U/L vs 2660±242U/L, p<0.01). On multivariate analysis, serum level of EPA+DHA was an independent predictor of reperfusion injury (odds ratio 0.985, p=0.032).
Conclusion: Serum level of n-3 PUFAs before PCI may be a predictor of I/R injury and the resultant extent of myocardial damage. These findings suggest a protective effect of serum n-3 PUFAs on ischemic myocardium.
Keywords: Ischemia reperfusion injury; Myocardial infarction; n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Copyright © 2015 Japanese College of Cardiology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.