title: The effect of n-3 fatty acids on C-reactive protein levels in patients with chronic renal failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of mortality in patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). C-reactive protein (CRP), a strong independent risk marker of CVD, is elevated in a large proportion of patients with CRF. The long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) have cardioprotective effects, which may be partly attributed to their anti-inflammatory properties.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The study objective was to investigate the effect of n-3 PUFA on serum levels of CRP in patients with CRF.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study took place at an outpatients clinic at the Department of Nephrology, Aalborg Hospital, Denmark.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study comprised 46 patients (30 men and 16 women; mean age 59 +/- 11 years) with a serum creatinine level in the range of 150 to 400 micromol/L.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patients were randomly assigned to daily supplementation with 2.4 g n-3 PUFA or identical capsules containing 2.4 g of olive oil (control) for 8 weeks.
  
  
  METHODS
  CRP was measured with a high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) assay and the content of n-3 PUFA in granulocyte membranes before and after supplementation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The n-3 PUFA concentration increased in granulocytes after the n-3 PUFA supplements but was unaltered by the control oil. A nonsignificant reduction in hs-CRP was observed in the n-3 PUFA group after supplementation (2.46 vs. 1.47 mg/L; P = .06), and hs-CRP was unaltered by the control oil (3.27 vs. 3.14 mg/L; P = .12). There was no difference in median hs-CRP change in the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A trend was seen toward a reduction in hs-CRP in the n-3 PUFA group, but there was no significant difference in hs-CRP levels when both groups were compared.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research Centre, Aalborg Hospital, Arhus University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark. tmadsen@dadlnet.dk <tmadsen@dadlnet.dk>
authors.forename: Trine
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Madsen
authors.forename: Erik B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.forename: Jeppe H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Christensen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry*; D003404:Creatinine / Q000097:blood; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D006098:Granulocytes / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D012307:Risk Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D000069463:Olive Oil; D010938:Plant Oils; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D003404:Creatinine