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CLINICAL STUDIES

Dietary supplementation with marine omega-3 fatty acids improve systemic large artery endothelial function in subjects with hypercholesterolemia

^a Cardiovascular Sciences Research Group, University of Wales College of Medicine, Cardiff, United Kingdom

Manuscript received December 31, 1998; revised manuscript received August 17, 1999, accepted October 18, 1999.

Reprint requests and correspondence: Dr J. Goodfellow, Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Wales, Cardiff CF4 4XN, United Kingdom
GoodfellowJ{at}Cardiff.ac.UK

OBJECTIVE

This work was undertaken to determine whether dietary supplementation with marine omega-3 fatty acids improve systemic large artery endothelial function in subjects with hypercholesterolemia.

BACKGROUND

Marine omega-3 fatty acids improve vascular function, but the underlying mechanism(s) are unclear. We studied the effects of marine omega-3 fatty acids on large artery endothelial function in subjects with hypercholesterolemia.

METHODS

Hypercholesterolemic subjects with no other known cause for endothelial dysfunction were recruited to a prospective, placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study. Treatment with omega-3 fatty acids at a dose of 4 g/day (n = 15/group) was compared with placebo, at the beginning (day 0) and end (day 120) of a four-month treatment period. Endothelial function was assessed pre- and posttreatment by noninvasive ultrasonic vessel wall tracking of brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD).

RESULTS

Treatment with marine omega-3 fatty acids resulted in a significant improvement in FMD (0.05 ± 0.12 to 0.12 ± 0.07 mm, p < 0.05) and a significant reduction in triglycerides (2.07 ± 1.13 to 1.73 ± 0.95 mmol/liter, p < 0.05), whereas treatment with placebo resulted in no change in FMD (0.03 ± 0.10 to 0.04 ± 0.10 mm) or triglycerides (2.29 ± 2.09 to 2.05 ± 1.36 mmol/liter) (both p < 0.05 treated compared with control). Responses to sublingual glyceryl trinitrate were unchanged.

CONCLUSIONS

Marine omega-3 fatty acids improve large artery endothelium-dependent dilation in subjects with hypercholesterolemia without affecting endothelium-independent dilation.

Abbreviations and Acronyms   DHA = docosahexanoic acid   EPA = eicosapentanoic acid   FMD = flow-mediated dilation   GTN = glyceryl trinitrate   HDL = high-density lipoprotein   LDL = low-density lipoprotein   NO = nitric oxide   RF = radio frequency   VLDL = very low density lipoprotein

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