Serum fatty acid profile and desaturase activity in hypertensive patients with and without metabolic syndrome

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a major public health concern. Risk factors for hypertension include dietary factors such as fatty acids (FA), in addition to conditions that contribute to the metabolic syndrome. OBJECTIVES: To assess the associations of FA and FA desaturase activities with hypertension and anthropometric/metabolic parameters, and with the presence of metabolic syndrome. METHODS: Anthropometric data, circulating FA and a range of metabolic parameters were obtained in fasting normotensive subjects and hypertensive patients (n = 100 and n = 98, respectively) of both sexes. Associations were determined by normotension-to-hypertension comparisons with and without stratification for metabolic syndrome, correlations and logistic regression. To assess reverse causality, sensitivity analyses were performed stratifying by hypertension treatment or excluding recently diagnosed (less than 1 year) patients. RESULTS: Selected FA (C15:0, C17:0, and C20:2ω-6) were consistently associated with low hypertension risk. We also confirmed the association of the FA transC18:1 with high hypertension risk. The direction and strength of those associations persisted after sensitivity analysis. Metabolic syndrome modulated several of the detected associations, as stratifying by metabolic syndrome increased the number of significantly associated FA with hypertension and revealed associations of hypertension with FA desaturases. CONCLUSION: As C15:0 and C17:0 are mainly of dietary origin, our data underscore the potential for dietary intervention or supplementation in the control of hypertension risk. The FA desaturase Δ9D emerges as a potential target to lower MUFA associated with hypertension risk. Reverse causality driven by treatment or behavioural response to diagnosis played a minor role if any. Our results warrant further studies to assess causality.