[Membrane platelet fatty acids: biochemical characterisation of the ischemic cardiovascular disease, characteristics of the paediatric age, through an artificial neural network interpretation]

Pediatr Med Chir. 2008 Jan-Feb;30(1):25-30.
[Article in Italian]

Abstract

During the last 30 years, a huge research has been performed about the markers involved in the atherogenetic process and in the fatty acid thrombogenetic effect. More recently many studies have been made on the biochemical aspects of the saturated fatty acids with respect to the cardiovascular risk, in particular, the Stearic Acid (SA). Because of the peculiar characteristic of the platelets in the control of the thrombogenetic risk, we have investigated the platelet fatty acid profile in three groups of subjects: supposed healthy (n = 60), ischemic (n = 50), young children (n = 118). The aim of the study was to understand wich of the fatty acids could be evaluated as markers of the ischemic cardiovascular pathology and to have the possibility to classifie the subjects using the artificial neural network (ANN) system. The results highlight the peculiar position of the Oleic Acid, Linoleic Acid and Arachidonic Acid. According to the ANN results of the ischemic subjects, the young children were in the same position. Because this result is not commonly accepted, as children are healty, we have looked for a reason. There are well strong reasons to believe that all this is due to the stearic acid wich is extremely higher than the stearic acid of all the other subjects investigated. Particularly it has been underlined the possibility to modify the platelet stearic and oleic acid to obtain a better saturation index (Stearic/Oleic ratio). This could bring to a better control of the cardiovascular risk. It is possible, according with the results obtained, to open a new field of research on the lipid metabolism of the young children in relation to the atherogenesis. It is the first time that an observation on the platelet membrane phospholipid stearic acid is made in comparison to other adult subjects and a plausible explanation is given about the protection of the young children against the cardiovascular disease.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Algorithms
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Arachidonic Acid / blood
  • Biomarkers
  • Blood Platelets / metabolism*
  • Cell Membrane / metabolism
  • Child
  • Data Interpretation, Statistical
  • Fatty Acids / blood*
  • Humans
  • Linoleic Acid / blood
  • Membrane Lipids / blood
  • Myocardial Ischemia / blood
  • Myocardial Ischemia / epidemiology
  • Myocardial Ischemia / metabolism*
  • Neural Networks, Computer*
  • Oleic Acid / blood*
  • Phospholipids / blood
  • Risk Factors
  • Stearic Acids / blood*
  • Thrombosis / epidemiology

Substances

  • Biomarkers
  • Fatty Acids
  • Membrane Lipids
  • Phospholipids
  • Stearic Acids
  • Arachidonic Acid
  • Oleic Acid
  • stearic acid
  • Linoleic Acid