Meital LT, et al. - Since inflammation and abnormal redox status have been reported to be major pathogenic mechanisms for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), and inflammation has been shown to be correlated to aberrant fatty acid profiles, researchers compared 43 AAA patients (diameter 3.0-4.5 cm) to 52 healthy controls with respect to erythrocyte fatty acid content. They also determined the changes in erythrocyte fatty acid content following omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA) supplementation in a cohort of 30 AAA patients. Via blood analyses, they found links between AAA and reduced linoleic acid, and AAA and higher Δ6-desaturase activity and biosynthesis of arachidonic acid from linoleic acid. Red blood cell distribution width and levels of pro-inflammatory n-6 PUFAs were decreased as a result of n-3 PUFA supplementation. In AAA patients, the outcomes of n-3 PUFA supplementation included improvement in fatty acid profiles and improvement in inflammation-related factors.