Causal association of plasma n-3 PUFA with peptic ulcer disease: a two-sample Mendelian randomisation study

Abstract

Dietary n-3 PUFA may have potential benefits in preventing peptic ulcer disease (PUD). However, data from observational epidemiological studies are limited. Thus, we conducted a Mendelian randomisation analysis to reveal the causal impact of n-3 PUFA on PUD. Genetic variants strongly associated with plasma levels of total or individual n-3 PUFA including plant-derived α-linolenic acid and marine-derived EPA, DPA and DHA were enrolled as instrumental variables. Effect size estimates of the n-3 PUFA-associated genetic variants with PUD were evaluated using data from the UK biobank. Per one sd increase in the level of total n-3 PUFA in plasma was significantly associated with a lower risk of PUD (OR = 0·91; 95 % CI 0·85, 0·99; P = 0·020). The OR were 0·81 (95 % CI 0·67, 0·97) for EPA, 0·72 (95 % CI 0·58, 0·91) for DPA and 0·87 (95 % CI 0·80, 0·94) for DHA. Genetically predicted α-linolenic acid levels in plasma had no significant association with the risk of PUD (OR = 5·41; 95 % CI 0·70, 41·7). Genetically predicted plasma levels of n-3 PUFA were inversely associated with the risk of PUD, especially marine-based n-3 PUFA. Such findings may have offered an effective and feasible strategy for the primary prevention of PUD.