title: Effects of Ω-3 fatty acids on endothelial function, arterial wall properties, inflammatory and fibrinolytic status in smokers: a cross over study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Smoking is associated with endothelial dysfunction and arterial stiffness. Supplementation of Ω-3 PUFAs is associated with better prognosis. Aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) supplementation on smoking-induced impairment of arterial function.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied the effect of a 12 weeks oral treatment with 2gr/day of Ω-3 PUFAs in 20 healthy smokers on three occasions (day 0:baseline, day 28 and day 84). The study was carried out on two separate arms (Ω-3 fatty acids and placebo), according to a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, cross-over design. Measurements were carried out before (pSm), immediately and 20min after cigarette smoking. Endothelial function was evaluated by flow-mediated dilation (FMD) of the brachial artery. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (PWV) was measured as an index of aortic stiffness and augmentation index (AIx) as a measure of arterial wave reflections. Circulating levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with placebo, Ω-3 PUFAs treatment resulted in a significant improvement in pSm values of FMD (p<0.05), AIx (p<0.001) and PWV (p<0.01). Although, acute cigarette smoking decreased FMD and caused an increase in AIx and PWV, Ω-3 PUFAs treatment blunted the acute smoking-induced impairment of FMD (p<0.001), AIx (p<0.05) and PWV (p<0.05) and significantly decreased levels of TNFα (p<0.05) and IL-6 (p=0.01) and increased levels of PAI-1 (p=0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ω-3 PUFAs improved endothelial function and the elastic properties of the arterial tree in healthy smokers, with a parallel anti-inflammatory effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biological Chemistry, University of Athens Medical School, Athens Greece.
authors.forename: Gerasimos
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Siasos
authors.forename: Dimitris
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tousoulis
authors.forename: Evangelos
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Oikonomou
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zaromitidou
authors.forename: Aleksis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Verveniotis
authors.forename: Aris
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Plastiras
authors.forename: Stamatios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kioufis
authors.forename: Konstantinos
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Maniatis
authors.forename: Antigoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Miliou
authors.forename: Zoi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Siasou
authors.forename: Christodoulos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stefanadis
authors.forename: Athanasios G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Papavassiliou
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D001783:Blood Flow Velocity / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D005342:Fibrinolysis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012907:Smoking / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3