TABLE 3.
Change in n–3 and n–6 PUFAs after 1 y: effects of randomized assignment to menopausal hormone therapy1
| Estrogen + progestin (n = 610) | Estrogen alone (n = 560) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fatty acid | Active2 (n = 300) | Placebo2 (n = 310) | Adjusted treatment effect (active − placebo)3 | Active2 (n = 273) | Placebo2 (n = 287) | Adjusted treatment effect (active − placebo)3 |
| ALA (C18:3n–3) | 0.0046 (−0.0073, 0.016; 0.45) | −0.0028 (−0.018, 0.012; 0.72) | 0.0054 (−0.0079, 0.019; 0.43) | 0.0091 (−0.0078, 0.026; 0.29) | 0.0072 (−0.0056, 0.02; 0.27) | −0.00097 (−0.016, 0.014; 0.9) |
| EPA (C20:5n–3) | −0.063 (−0.14, 0.014; 0.11) | 0.015 (−0.051, 0.082; 0.65) | −0.067 (−0.14, 0.011; 0.092) | −0.049 (−0.11, 0.012; 0.11) | −0.015 (−0.13, 0.1; 0.8) | −0.033 (−0.13, 0.069; 0.53) |
| Docosapentaenoic acid n-3 (DPA n–3, C22:5n–3) | −0.25 (−0.31, −0.18; <0.0001) | 0.014 (−0.078, 0.11; 0.77) | −0.26 (−0.34, −0.19; <0.0001) | −0.25 (−0.33, −0.17; <0.0001) | −0.0055 (−0.063, 0.052; 0.85) | −0.25 (−0.33, −0.17; <0.0001) |
| DHA (C22:6n–3) | 0.52 (0.37, 0.66; <0.0001) | −0.0042 (−0.16, 0.15; 0.96) | 0.49 (0.31, 0.68; <0.0001) | 0.47 (0.28, 0.65; <0.0001) | 0.017 (−0.16, 0.19; 0.85) | 0.48 (0.29, 0.67; <0.0001) |
| Omega-3 Index (EPA + DHA) | 0.45 (0.28, 0.62; <0.0001) | 0.011 (−0.16, 0.19; 0.9) | 0.43 (0.21, 0.64; <0.0001) | 0.42 (0.23, 0.61; <0.0001) | 0.0016 (−0.22, 0.22; 0.99) | 0.44 (0.21, 0.66; <0.0002) |
| Linoleic acid (LA, C18:2n–6) | −0.45 (−0.63, −0.27; <0.0001) | −0.17 (−0.34, 0.0088; 0.063) | −0.22 (−0.44, −0.014; 0.037) | −0.55 (−0.75, −0.35; <0.0001) | −0.051 (−0.25, 0.15; 0.62) | −0.45 (−0.71, −0.18; 0.0011) |
| Arachidonic acid (ARA, C20:4n–6) | −0.16 (−0.36, 0.052; 0.14) | 0.034 (−0.17, 0.24; 0.74) | −0.19 (−0.45, 0.078; 0.17) | 0.026 (−0.23, 0.28; 0.84) | −0.021 (−0.27, 0.22; 0.86) | 0.087 (−0.19, 0.36; 0.53) |
| Adrenic acid (ADA, C22:4n–6) | 0.077 (−0.027, 0.18; 0.15) | −0.024 (−0.11, 0.062; 0.58) | 0.059 (−0.059, 0.18; 0.32) | −0.0073 (−0.11, 0.1; 0.89) | −0.04 (−0.13, 0.054; 0.4) | 0.0057 (−0.11, 0.13; 0.93) |
| DPA n–6 (C22:5n–6) | 0.1 (0.053, 0.16; <0.0001) | −0.0022 (−0.035, 0.03; 0.89) | 0.1 (0.057, 0.15; <0.0001) | 0.13 (0.077, 0.18; <0.0001) | −0.012 (−0.063, 0.04; 0.66) | 0.14 (0.069, 0.2; <0.0001) |
Values are mean percentage point changes (95% CIs; P value).
Post minus pre, so that a positive number means that the fatty acid concentration increased over time. P values represent paired t-test P values testing for evidence of significant change over time from baseline to follow-up within each treatment group (evidence that change is nonzero) and accounting for multiple imputations.
Adjusted effects estimates are adjusted for age, race, BMI, alcohol consumption, smoking status, ovarian status, and baseline fatty acid concentration and show the difference in the changes observed in the placebo vs. the hormone therapy groups from a linear model accounting for multiple imputation. Separate models are run for women by group (denoted as models 2b and 2c in the Statistical Analysis section).