FISH-OIL IMPROVES ARTERIAL COMPLIANCE IN NON-INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study we investigated the effect s of dietary fish oil supplementation on arterial wall characteristics in 20 patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Estimate s reflecting compliance values in the large arteries and more peripher al vasculature, as measured by pulse-contour analysis, improved signif icantly after 6 weeks of fish oil therapy compared with values recorde d at baseline and after 6 weeks' administration of olive oil. The larg e-artery compliance estimate increased from 1.50 (confidence interval [CI], 1.31 to 1.69) mL/mm Hg at baseline to 1.68 (CI, 1.52 to 1.84) mL /mm Hg after fish oil administration (P<.01). The oscillatory complian ce value increased from 0.015 (CI, 0.011 to 0.019) mL/mm Hg at baselin e to 0.022 (CI, 0.016 to 0.028) mL/mm Hg after fish oil ingestion (P<. 05). No changes occurred in arterial blood pressure, cardiac output, s troke volume, or systemic vascular resistance with either intervention . The improved compliance estimates with fish oil ingestion occurred w ithout altering fasting blood glucose and cholesterol concentrations. These results support the hypothesis that fish oils alter vascular rea ctivity and favorably influence arterial wall characteristics in patie nts with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. These direct vascula r effects, expressed at the level of the vessel wall, may contribute t o the cardioprotective actions of fish oil in humans.