Marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in patients with end-stage renal failure and in subjects without kidney disease: a comparative study.
OBJECTIVE
Patients with end-stage renal disease treated with chronic hemodialysis (HD) are reported to have low levels of marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in plasma and cell membranes compared with healthy subjects. The aim of this study was to investigate whether n-3 PUFA levels in plasma and cells are lower in HD patients as compared with subjects without kidney disease.


METHODS
A comparative study was carried out.


METHODS
This study was carried out at the Departments of Nephrology and Cardiology, Aalborg Hospital, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.


METHODS
This study consisted of 2 study populations comprising HD patients and 5 study populations comprising subjects without kidney disease.


METHODS
The fatty acid distribution in plasma phospholipids and platelet phospholipids was measured using gas chromatography.


METHODS
Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and arachidonic acid (AA) levels in plasma or serum phospholipids and platelet phospholipids in HD patients were compared with n-3 PUFA levels in subjects without kidney disease.


RESULTS
EPA and DHA were lower and AA/EPA was higher in plasma/serum phospholipids in HD patients than in subjects without kidney disease. Similarly, higher AA and AA/EPA and lower EPA and DHA levels were found in platelet phospholipids of HD patients. Adjustment for gender, age, and habitual intake of fish and fish oil supplements did not change these results.


CONCLUSIONS
HD patients have lower n-3 PUFA levels in plasma and cells compared with subjects without kidney disease.
Madsen
Trine
T
Department of Cardiology, Aalborg Hospital, Aarhus University Hospital, Aalborg, Denmark. trine.madsen@rn.dk
Christensen
Jeppe H
JH
Svensson
My
M
Witt
Petra M
PM
Toft
Egon
E
Schmidt
Erik B
EB
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D016718:Arachidonic Acid / Q000097:blood; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D003718:Denmark; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids / Q000097:blood; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid / Q000097:blood; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D005395:Fish Oils / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010743:Phospholipids / Q000097:blood / Q000378:metabolism; D006435:Renal Dialysis
D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D005395:Fish Oils; D010743:Phospholipids; D004281:Docosahexaenoic Acids; D016718:Arachidonic Acid; D015118:Eicosapentaenoic Acid