Table 2.
Mean serum homocysteine concentrations according to tertile of n-3 PUFA and n-6 PUFA in serum phospholipids
| Fatty acid tertile | n | Model 11 | Model 22 |
|---|---|---|---|
| PUFA |
|
|
|
| <44.32% |
166 |
10.58 (10.13, 11.05)3 |
10.45 (10.05, 10.88) |
| 44.32–46.20% |
165 |
10.23 (9.81, 10.68) |
10.16 (9.77, 10.55) |
| ≥46.21% |
165 |
9.95 (9.52, 10.39) |
10.14 (9.75, 10.55) |
| P-trend4 |
|
0.06 |
0.34 |
| n-6 PUFA5 |
|
|
|
| <32.44% |
166 |
10.18 (9.72, 10.66) |
10.32 (9.90, 10.77) |
| 32.44–35.19% |
165 |
10.05 (9.63, 10.49) |
9.98 (9.61, 10.37) |
| ≥35.20% |
165 |
10.52 (10.05, 11.02) |
10.45 (10.02, 10.90) |
| P-trend4 |
|
0.34 |
0.67 |
| LA (18:2n-6) |
|
|
|
| <19.98% |
166 |
10.32 (9.90, 10.77) |
10.08 (9.64, 10.55) |
| 19.98–22.92% |
165 |
9.98 (9.61, 10.37) |
10.12 (9.70, 10.56) |
| ≥22.93% |
165 |
10.45 (10.02, 10.90) |
10.55 (10.09, 11.04) |
| P-trend4 |
|
0.67 |
0.14 |
| DGLA (20:3n-6) |
|
|
|
| <1.96% |
166 |
10.11 (9.68, 10.55) |
10.25 (9.85, 10.66) |
| 1.96–2.43% |
165 |
10.47 (10.04, 10.93) |
10.39 (9.99, 10.79) |
| ≥2.44% |
165 |
10.17 (9.74, 10.62) |
10.12 (9.71, 10.54) |
| P-trend4 |
|
0.83 |
0.64 |
| AA (20:4n-6) |
|
|
|
| < 9.25% |
166 |
10.30 (9.86, 10.75) |
10.29 (9.85, 10.65) |
| 9.25 –10.71% |
165 |
10.27 (9.84, 10.72) |
10.39 (10.00, 10.80) |
| ≥ 10.72% |
165 |
10.18 (9.75, 10.63) |
10.12 (9.73, 10.52) |
| P-trend4 |
|
0.73 |
0.64 |
| n-3 PUFA5 |
|
|
|
| <9.95% |
166 |
10.75 (10.29, 11.23) |
10.49 (10.07, 10.92) |
| 9.95–12.34% |
165 |
10.08 (9.66, 10.52) |
10.07 (9.69, 10.46) |
| ≥12.35% |
165 |
9.93 (9.50, 10.38) |
10.20 (9.79, 10.62) |
| P-trend4 |
|
0.02 |
0.36 |
| EPA (20:5n-3) |
|
|
|
| <1.87% |
166 |
10.76 (10.31, 11.24) |
10.56 (10.14, 10.99) |
| 1.87–2.89% |
165 |
10.10 (9.68, 10.54) |
10.12 (9.74, 10.51) |
| ≥2.90% |
165 |
9.90 (9.48, 10.34) |
10.08 (9.69, 10.49) |
| P-trend4 |
|
0.01 |
0.12 |
| DPA (22:5n-3) |
|
|
|
| <0.99% |
166 |
10.61 (10.15, 11.09) |
10.49 (10.08, 10.92) |
| 0.99–1.20% |
165 |
10.14 (9.72, 10.58) |
10.09 (9.71, 10.48) |
| ≥1.21% |
165 |
10.01 (9.57, 10.48) |
10.18 (9.76, 10.60) |
| P-trend4 |
|
0.08 |
0.30 |
| DHA (22:6n-3) |
|
|
|
| <6.84% |
166 |
10.72 (10.26, 11.19) |
10.57 (10.16, 11.00) |
| 6.84–8.25% |
165 |
10.33 (9.90, 10.77) |
10.25 (9.87, 10.64) |
| ≥8.26% |
165 |
9.73 (9.31, 10.17) |
9.94 (9.55, 10.34) |
| P-trend4 | 0.003 | 0.04 |
Abbreviations: AA Arachidonic acid, DGLA Dihomo-γ-linolenic acid, DHA Docosahexaenoic acid, DPA Docosapentaenoic acid, EPA Eicosapentaenoic acid, LA Linoleic acid, PUFA Polyunsaturated fatty acid.
1Adjusted for age (y, continuous), sex and workplace [A (surveyed in July) or B (surveyed in November)].
2Adjusted for age (y, continuous), sex, workplace [A (surveyed in July) or B (surveyed in November)], smoking status (non-smoker or smoker), BMI (kg/m2, continuous), alcohol consumption (non-drinker, <20 g/d or ≥20 g/d), occupational physical activity (sedentary work or active work), non-occupational physical activity (0, 0 < to <5 or ≥5 MET-h/wk), serum folate (ng/mL, continuous), vitamin B6 intake (mg/1000 kcal, continuous) and vitamin B12 intake (μg/1000 kcal, continuous).
3Geometric means (95% confidence interval) of serum homocysteine (nmol/mL).
4P-trend values were based on multiple regression analysis, with ordinal numbers 0–2 assigned to tertile categories of each fatty acid.
5N-6 PUFA is the sum of LA, DGLA, and AA; n-3 PUFA is the sum of EPA, DPA, and DHA; PUFA is the sum of n-6 and n-3 PUFA.