The effect of high dietary n-3 fatty acid supplementation on angiotensin II pressor response in human pregnancy.
OBJECTIVE
Our purpose was to evaluate the effects of n-3 fatty acid supplementation on vascular reactivity as measured by the angiotensin II sensitivity test.


METHODS
Ten subjects with uneventful pregnancies, who were free of any chronic medical illnesses, between 24 and 34 weeks' gestation participated. Each subject was provided with OMEGA-3 700 softgel capsules and instructed to take three tablets three times daily (approximately 3.6 gm of eicosapentaenoic acid). The angiotensin II sensitivity test was performed before and 28 days after supplementation. Compliance was assessed by analysis of computerized pill bottles. Statistical analyses of the data were performed with a paired t test for evenly distributed continuous data. A sample size of eight patients was required to detect a difference in effective pressor dose of > or = 10 ng/kg/min between the presupplement and postsupplement results, assuming an alpha of 0.05 and a beta of 0.20 (80% power).


RESULTS
The effective pressor dose before treatment (13.6 +/- 6.3 ng/kg/min) (mean +/- SD) was significantly less (p = 0.001) than after supplementation (35.8 +/- 15.9 ng/kg/min).


CONCLUSIONS
High-dose n-3 fatty acid supplementation resulted in an enhancement of the pregnancy-acquired refractoriness to angiotensin II.
Adair
C D
CD
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Florida Health Science Center, Jacksonville, USA.
Sanchez-Ramos
L
L
Briones
D L
DL
Ogburn
P
P
D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects*; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000517:prevention & control; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000517:prevention & control; D011247:Pregnancy
D004041:Dietary Fats; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D000804:Angiotensin II