EFFECT OF LOW-DOSE FISH-OIL SUPPLEMENTATION ON ATHEROGENIC PARAMETERSIN PATIENTS WITH CORONARY HEART-DISEASE AND DYSLIPOPROTEINEMIA

The objective of the present study was to investigate whether the redu ced cardiovascular mortality (CVM) in populations with a comparatively small amount of dietary fish (40 g fish = 0.4 g eicosapentaenoic acid /day) may be mediated by favorable alterations within atherogenic para meters such as dyslipoproteinemia, impaired hemostasis and blood theol ogy. In a randomized double blind crossover design, 14 dyslipoproteine mic patients with stable coronary heart disease (age 40-60 y) took eit her 0.42 g eicosapentaenoic acid/d (EPA) and 0.3 g docosahexaenoic aci d/d (DHA) (fish oil capsules) or olive oil as placebo over 12 weeks. P arameters of lipid metabolism including gaschromatographic analysis of plasma fatty acids, platelet aggregation and hemorheology were measur ed at the beginning and after 6 and 12 weeks. Administration of fish o il led to a small but significant increase of EPA (p < 0.01) and DHA ( p < 0.05) in plasma lipids. Nevertheless, no significant changes in li pids, erythrocyte filtration, fibrinogen and ADP or collagen induced p latelet aggregation could be detected. The administered fish oil dosag e did not lead to significant alterations within the investigated para meters. Future studies with low dose fish oil should elucidate which d uration of treatment is necessary or which other parameters could be r esponsible for the reduced CVM found in epidemiogical trials.