Eicosapentaenoic acid/arachidonic acid ratio and smoking status in elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

BACKGROUND A low ratio of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)/arachidonic acid (AA) is considered a risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Smoking is also a risk factor for cardiovascular disease even in an elderly population. This study investigated the relationship between EPA/AA ratio and smoking status among elderly patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). FINDINGS A total of 188 elderly patients with T2DM (men/women, 114/74; mean age, 65.0 ± 7.5 years) were studied in terms of their smoking status, diabetic conditions, and blood data, including EPA and AA. Current smokers showed a lower EPA/AA ratio than non-smokers (current smokers: 0.29, n = 49; non-smokers: 0.39, n = 139, p < 0.01). This relationship remained significant after adjusting for multiple variables. CONCLUSIONS Smoking may affect the EPA/AA ratio among elderly patients with T2DM, suggesting a possible mechanism of cardiovascular disease development and indicating the importance of smoking secession in such patients.