Alteration in Serum Free Fatty Acids Composition in Patients with Essential Hypertension

Objective To investigate fasting serum free fatty acid (FFA) composition in patients with essential hypertension (EH). Methods Serum FFA were determined by high performance liquid chromatogram in 232 commuity-based subjects aged between 35 and 55 years: 109 hypertensives, 123 normotensives. Results Compared with normotensives, hypertensives had lower levels of serum polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), mainly n-3 PUFAs (EH:95.8±39.6 vs control:122.0±33.4 μmol/L,P=0.000), and polyunsaturated/saturated fatty acids ratio (P/S ratio, P=0.000). Among n-3 PUFAs, DHA (22:6n3) were lower (EH:64.7±39.2 vs control:94.2±31.3 μmol/L, P=0.000) while levels of α-linolenic acid(18:3n3) was higher (EH:21.2±7.2 vs control:17.5±7.6 μmol/L, P=0.000), and C22:6/C20:5 ratio (Δ6 desaturase activity index) were decreased in patients with EH, compared with normotensives. Among n-6 PUFAs, levels of linoleic acid (18:2n6) appeared to be lower in hypertensives than in normotensives (P=0.052). Multivariate stepwise linear regression models showed that levels of fasting serum n3 PUFAs was negatively related with DBP.ConclusionDistinct changes [JP2]in fasting serum[JP] FFA composition was demonstrated in patients with EH, which may astributed to the decreased n-3 Δ6 desaturase activity attenuated formation of DHA(22:6n3) from ALA(18:3n3). [