The Associations of C-Reactive Protein with Serum Levels of Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids and Trans Fatty Acids Among Middle-Aged Men from Three Populations.

BACKGROUND

C-reactive protein (CRP) and many fatty acids (FAs) have been linked to cardiovascular disease. Associations of serum CRP with FAs in different populations have not been established.

METHODS

Participants were 926 men aged 40-49 (2002-2006) from a population-based sample; 310 Whites from Pennsylvania, U.S., 313 Japanese from Shiga, Japan, and 303 Japanese Americans from Hawaii, U.S. Serum CRP (mg/L) was measured using immunosorbent assay while serum FAs (%) were measured using capillary-gas-liquid chromatography.

RESULTS

Whites had CRP (mg/L) levels higher than Japanese with Japanese Americans in-between (age-adjusted geometric mean "GM" 0.96, 0.38, 0.66, respectively). Whites had also higher levels of total n-6 FAs (%) and trans fatty acids (TFAs) but lower levels of marine-derived n-3 FAs compared to Japanese (41.78 vs. 35.05, 1.04 vs. 0.58, and 3.85 vs. 9.29, respectively). Japanese Americans had FAs levels in-between the other two populations. Whites had significant inverse trends between CRP and tertiles of total n-6 FAs (GM 1.20, 0.91 and 0.80; p=0.002) and marine-derived n-3 FAs (GM 1.22, 1.00 and 0.72; p<0.001) but a significant positive trend with TFAs (GM 0.80, 0.95 and 1.15; p=0.007). Japanese had a significant inverse trend between CRP and only total n-6 FAs (GM 0.50, 0.35 and 0.31; p<0.001). Japanese Americans had CRP associations with n-3 FAs, n-6 FAs, and TFAs similar to but weaker than Whites.

CONCLUSIONS

With the exception of consistent inverse association of CRP with total n-6 FAs, there are considerable variations across the three populations in the associations of CRP with different FAs.