title: Clustering of haemostatic variables and the effect of high cashew and walnut diets on these variables in metabolic syndrome patients.
abstract: We investigated the effect of a high walnut and cashew diet on haemostatic variables in people with the metabolic syndrome. Factor analysis was used to determine how the haemostatic variables cluster with other components of the metabolic syndrome and multiple regression to determine possible predictors. This randomized, control, parallel, controlled-feeding trial included 68 subjects who complied with the Third National Cholesterol Education Program Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol criteria. After a 3-week run-in following the control diet, subjects were divided into three groups receiving either walnuts or cashews (20 energy%) or a control diet for 8 weeks. The nut intervention had no significant effect on von Willebrand factor antigen, fibrinogen, factor VII coagulant activity, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 activity, tissue plasminogen activator activity or thrombin activatable fibrinolysis inhibitor. Statistically, fibrinogen clustered with the body-mass-correlates and acute phase response factors, and factor VII coagulant activity clustered with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). Tissue plasminogen activator activity, plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 activity and von Willebrand factor antigen clustered into a separate endothelial function factor. HDL-C and markers of obesity were the strongest predictors of the haemostatic variables. We conclude that high walnut and cashew diets did not influence haemostatic factors in this group of metabolic syndrome subjects. The HDL-C increase and weight loss may be the main focus of dietary intervention for the metabolic syndrome. Furthermore, diet composition may have only limited effects if weight loss is not achieved.
authors.affiliation: Potchefstroom Institute of Nutrition, School of Physiology, Nutrition and Consumer Sciences, North-West University, South Africa. vgemp@puk.ac.za
authors.forename: Marlien
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pieters
authors.forename: Welma
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Oosthuizen
authors.forename: Johann C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Jerling
authors.forename: Du Toit
authors.initials: DT
authors.lastname: Loots
authors.forename: Janine
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Mukuddem-Petersen
authors.forename: Susanna M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Hanekom
mesh_terms: D031021:Anacardium; D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors / Q000032:analysis; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006487:Hemostasis; D006801:Humans; D031324:Juglans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood* / Q000178:diet therapy*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009754:Nuts; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D001779:Blood Coagulation Factors; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL