title: N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in the treatment of atherogenic dyslipidemia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atherogenic dyslipidemia contributes substantially to the residual cardiovascular risk. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of therapeutic doses of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on the three major lipid abnormalities of atherogenic dyslipidemia, i.e. hypertriacylglycerolemia, low HDL cholesterol, and increased levels of small dense LDL particles, as well as on some new risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 60 hypertriacylglycerolemic patients were included in the study. Group S consisted of 36 patients who were already treated with statins, Group N of 24 patients not yet treated. Each patient was examined after six weeks on placebo and six weeks of treatment with n-3 PUFA (eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acid ethyl esters, 3.0 g/d).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Treatment with n-3 PUFA caused a decrease in plasma triacylglycerols (28%, p<0.001), and VLDL (-27%, p<0.001), an increase in HDL-C (+4%, p<0.01), and a decrease in sdLDL cholesterol (-16%, p<0.05). These changes were accompanied by a decrease in microalbuminuria (-30%, p<0.05), as well as in several parameters of oxidative stress. Analysis of the fatty acids composition of plasma phospholipids showed a significant increase in all n-3 PUFAs examined, accompanied by a decrease in n-6 PUFAs, as well as in monounsaturated acids. No significant differences in the effects of n-3 PUFA were found between the Groups S and N.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results support the opinion that hypertriacylglycerolemic patients benefit from the treatment with n-3 PUFA which improves several important metabolic factors of cardiovascular risk.
authors.affiliation: 4th Department of Internal Medicine, 1st Faculty of Medicine of Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. marvec@volny.cz
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vecka
authors.forename: Magdalena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dušejovská
authors.forename: Barbora
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Stankova
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Zeman
authors.forename: Lucie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vavrova
authors.forename: Jana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kodydkova
authors.forename: Adolf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Slaby
authors.forename: Ales
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D015228:Hypertriglyceridemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism; D050356:Lipid Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010919:Placebos; D012307:Risk Factors
chemical_list: D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D010919:Placebos