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Fatty acids from oily fish may reduce sight-threatening DR risk in older patients with diabetes
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Regular intake of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids obtained from oily fish was associated with a reduced risk of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy in middle-aged and older patients with type 2 diabetes, according to a study conducted in Spain.
The study’s finding that consumption of at least 500 mg/d of dietary long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC3PUFAs) decreased the risk of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in patients with diabetes corroborates experimental models and the current theory of DR pathogenesis, according to the report.
The prospective investigation included 3,482 patients with a mean age of 67 years diagnosed with type 2 diabetes who had participated in the PREDIMED study, a randomized clinical trial that tested Mediterranean diets supplemented with extra virgin olive oil or nuts vs. a control diet for primary cardiovascular prevention.
Among the 3,482 patients, 2,611 (75%) consumed the recommended amount of at least 500 mg/d of LC3PUFA, which could be achieved with two servings of oily fish per week.
The primary outcome measure was incident DR requiring laser photocoagulation, vitrectomy and/or antiangiogenic therapy. Median follow-up was 6 years. Sixty-nine new events were recorded during this time.
Adjusted data showed that patients who met the recommendation of at least 500 mg/d of LC3PUFA had a 48% reduced risk of incident sight-threatening DR compared with patients who consumed less than 500 mg/d. The difference was statistically significant (P = .001).
The risk was reduced further in patients with hypertension, diabetes duration more than 5 years and insulin therapy at baseline.
Patients who did not meet the recommended LC3PUFA intake were older, smoked less, had a higher prevalence of hypertension and were treated with insulin more frequently than those who met the recommendation.
Disclosure: Sala-Vila reports no relevant financial disclosures. See the study for a full list of all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
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Sala-Vila A, et al. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2016;doi:10.1001/jamaophthalmol.2016.2906.
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