title: Long-term effects of n-3 fatty acids on serum lipids and glycaemic control.
abstract: The long-term influence of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) on serum lipids and glucose homeostasis was studied in a group of non-diabetic, moderately hypertriglyceridaemic patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting. They were investigated according to the same procedure before and 6 months after the operation. Following randomization postoperatively, 28 patients received 3.4 g eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid per day, whereas 29 patients comprised the control group. The decline in serum triglycerides after 6 months was significantly greater in the n-3 PUFA group than in the control group (median decline, -33.2% vs. -11.1%, p = 0.002), while no group difference was noted in serum total, HDL, or LDL cholesterol levels. Fasting plasma glucose levels decreased less in the n-3 PUFA group compared with the control group (median change, -0.2 mmol l-1 vs. -0.5 mmol l-1, p = 0.054). The corresponding changes in fasting insulin levels were -2 mIU ml-1 in the n-3 PUFA group and no change in the control group (p = 0.039). In both groups combined, the recorded changes in serum triglyceride and serum insulin levels were negatively correlated with the change in serum phospholipid n-3 fatty acids (r = -0.35, p = 0.008 and r = -0.32, p = 0.016, respectively). An oral glucose tolerance test revealed no significant group differences after 6 months, neither in the peak levels, nor in the areas under the curves between 0 and 3h after the glucose load for glucose, insulin, and C-peptide.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Ullevål Hospital, Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eritsland
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Seljeflot
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abdelnoor
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Arnesen
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Torjesen
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000097:blood; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000494:pharmacology; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000494:pharmacology; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000494:pharmacology; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005395:Fish Oils; D008055:Lipids; D014280:Triglycerides; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D002784:Cholesterol; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid