title: Effect of eicosapentaenoic acid on regional arterial stiffness: Assessment by tissue Doppler imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effects of eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) on regional arterial stiffness assessed by strain rate using tissue Doppler imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nineteen eligible patients were prospectively studied (mean age 62 ± 8 years, 68% men). Subjects with large vessel complications and/or diabetes mellitus were excluded. The strain rate of the ascending aorta was measured by tissue Doppler imaging as an index of regional arterial stiffness, and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) was measured as an index of degree of systemic arteriosclerosis. These indices were compared before and after administration of EPA at 1800 mg/d for one year.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The plasma concentration of EPA increased significantly after EPA administration (3.0% ± 1.1% to 8.5% ± 2.9%, P < 0.001). There were no significant changes in baPWV (1765 ± 335 cm/s to 1745 ± 374 cm/s), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (114 ± 29 mg/dL to 108 ± 28 mg/dL), or systolic blood pressure (131 ± 16 mmHg to 130 ± 13 mmHg) before and after EPA administration. In contrast, the strain rate was significantly increased by administration of EPA (19.2 ± 5.6 s(-1), 23.0 ± 6.6 s(-1), P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  One year of administration of EPA resulted in an improvement in regional arterial stiffness which was independent of blood pressure or serum cholesterol levels.
authors.affiliation: Mio Haiden, Yoko Miyasaka, Yutaka Kimura, Satoshi Tsujimoto, Hirofumi Maeba, Yoshinobu Suwa, Toshiji Iwasaka, Ichiro Shiojima, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine II, Kansai Medical University, Hirakata, Osaka 573-1191, Japan.
authors.forename: Mio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haiden
authors.forename: Yoko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Miyasaka
authors.forename: Yutaka
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kimura
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tsujimoto
authors.forename: Hirofumi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Maeba
authors.forename: Yoshinobu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Suwa
authors.forename: Toshiji
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwasaka
authors.forename: Ichiro
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Shiojima