The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of n-3 fatty acid supplementation on dyslipidaemia, lipid peroxidation and inflammation markers in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF).
Seventy-five patients with CRF (58 (sd 9) years) were identified in the hospital in Oran (west Algeria). Thirty patients with hypertriacylglycerolaemia (TAG>1.7 mmol/l) and/or hypercholesterolaemia (total cholesterol (TC) >5 mmol/l) were recruited for the nutritional intervention. All patients received nutritional counselling adapted for CRF (energy intake 0.12 MJ/kg body weight per d, protein intake 0.8 g/kg body weight per d, lipid intake 35% total energy intake). Fifteen patients received an n-3 fatty acid supplement (2.1 g/d; 33% EPA and 12% DHA) for 90 d. Fifteen patients were used as controls. Blood samples were withdrawn at the beginning (T0) and at 30 d (T1), 60 d (T2) and 90 d (T3) after initiating treatment.
TAG level was reduced by 43% at T1, and decreased with time from T1 to T3. TC, HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C), LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C), apo A-I, apo B, TC:HDL-C, TC:LDL-C and apo A-I:apo B were similar for both groups, whereas apo B values were lower at T2 compared with T0 (P<0.05). Decreases in TC:HDL-C and TC:LDL-C were found at T3 compared with T0 (P<0.05). Thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) were lower in treated patients compared with controls (P<0.001), and decreased with time from T1 to T3 (P<0.001). Albumin concentrations were not affected by the nutritional intervention, whereas a significant reduction in C-reactive protein (CRP) was found in treated patients compared with controls.
In patients with CRF n-3 PUFA supplementation reduces hypertriacylglycerolaemia and improves lipid peroxidation and inflammation and can be beneficial in the prevention of CVD.
