Omega-3 fatty acid intake and sudden cardiac arrest incidence in males and females : a case-control multicenter study

Background: Although numerous studies found an association between omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) and cardiovascular disease outcomes, the results remain controversial. Furthermore, research on the association with sudden cardiac arrest (SCA) is limited. This study aimed to determine the association of omega-3 FA intake with SCA risk according to sex. Methods: We conducted a multicenter case-control study at 17 hospitals in Korea from September 2017 to December 2023, including 1331 patients aged 19–79 years with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest with presumed cardiac etiology. Community-based controls were recruited at a 1:1 ratio after matching for age, sex, and urban residence level. The main exposure of interest was omega-3 FA intake. We compared the outcomes using multivariable logistic regression, with interaction terms included in the final model to assess whether sex modified the effect of omega-3 FA intake on SCA incidence. Results: Multivariable conditional logistic regression analysis revealed that omega-3 FA intake was associated with a reduced risk of SCA (adjusted odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (CI)]: 0.52 [0.42–0.65]). Interaction analysis showed that omega-3 FA intake served as a preventive factor for SCA in males (OR [95%CI]: 0.47 [0.36–0.61]) but not in females (OR [95% CI]: 0.67 [0.44–1.01]). Conclusions: In the general population, omega-3 FA intake was associated with a reduced SCA incidence which was more pronounced in male patients. Early preventive strategies involving omega-3 FA supplementation, particularly for males, may help lower the SCA risk. Clinical Trial Registration: The study protocol is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT03700203).

Omega-3 fatty acid; Heart arrest; Sex; Case-control study

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