Circulating Plasma Omega-7 Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (Cis-Vaccenic Acid and Palmitoleic Acid) Are Related to All-Cause Mortality: The Lifelines Fatty Acids Cohort Study

Abstract

Abstract Objectives Determine whether plasma omega-7 cis-vaccenic acid and palmitoleic acid levels are related to all-cause mortality in a general population. Methods Plasma phospholipids (PL) and triglycerides (TG) fatty acids were measured by gas chromatography with polar column and detected with a flame ionization detector in the Lifelines fatty acids cohort study participants (n = 864). Associations with all-cause mortality were analyzed by Cox proportional hazards regression with adjustment for conventional risk factors. Results During a median follow-up of 9.3 years, 33 (3.9%) participants died. Adjusting for typical risk factors, high levels of plasma PL and TG cis-vaccenic acid, and TG palmitoleic acid were found to be associated with all-cause mortality. A 1-SD increase in PL cis-vaccenic acid, TG cis-vaccenic acid, and TG palmitoleic acid was associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality with HRs (95% CI) of 1.69 (1.17–2.46), 1.54 (1.03–1.15), and 1.44 (1.08–1.92), respectively. Compared to the lowest tertile, the HRs (95% CI, p-trend) for the highest tertile of PL cis-vaccenic acid, TG cis-vaccenic acid, and TG palmitoleic acid were 3.0 (1.05–8.56, 0.03), 2.25 (0.87–5.85), and 3.39 (1.24–9.28, 0.02), respectively. Conclusions Elevated levels of plasma cis-vaccenic acid and palmitoleic acid are risk factors for all-cause mortality. Funding Sources The data analyses from the Lifelines Cohort that were carried out in this paper were funded by Friesl and Campina. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, manuscript preparation and decision to publish.