Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41743064›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in nutrition2026

Plasma pentadecanoic acid is modestly related to cardiovascular health in CARDIA and ARIC cohorts: observational associations without evidence of causality.

Brian T Steffen, David R Jacobs, Aixin Li, Weihong Tang, Daniel Duprez, Mahesh Mathew, Pamela L Lutsey, So-Yun Yi, Xia Zhou, Lyn M Steffen

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In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in nutrition, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Brian T SteffenDivision of Computational Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States.
David R JacobsDivision of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States.
Aixin LiDivision of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States.
Weihong TangDivision of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States.
Daniel DuprezDivision of Computational Health Sciences, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States.
Mahesh MathewDivision of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States.
Pamela L LutseyDivision of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States.
So-Yun YiDivision of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States.
Xia ZhouDivision of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States.
Lyn M SteffenDivision of Epidemiology and Community Health, School of Public Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, United States.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Pentadecanoic acid (C15:0) is an odd-chain saturated fatty acid that is being marketed as a heart-healthy supplement. Objective: To test whether plasma C15:0 is related to cardiovascular outcomes including systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), functional cardiac measures, and development of hypertension and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods: Plasma phospholipid C15:0 levels were assessed by gas chromatography in 3,196 Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults participants (mean age 45 years; 57% female; 45% Black). Generalized linear models estimated associations of plasma C15:0 with SBP, DBP, and echocardiographic indices. Cox regression estimated risk of incident hypertension (SBP/DBP ≥ 140/90 mmHg or BP medication use) or CVD over a median 10-year period. Covariate adjustments were included to control for likely confounders. Significant associations were tested in a replication subcohort of 3,889 White participants of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC) (mean age 54 years; 52% female) using comparable methods. Two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) tested for potential causality. Results: Higher plasma C15:0 levels (per SD) were associated with lower SBP (mm Hg) [ Conclusion: Observational associations between plasma C15:0 and cardiovascular risk markers were modest but were not supported by cardiac function or MR findings. The collective evidence is not consistent with a causal cardiovascular benefit of C15:0.

Indexed as

blood pressurehypertensionMendelian randomizationodd-chain fatty acidpentadecanoic acid

Identifiers

PMID41743064
PMCPMC12931280

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.