title: Efficacy of Concentrated n-3 Fatty Acids in Hypertriglyceridaemia : A Comparison with Gemfibrozil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the effects of concentrated n-3 fatty acids (Omacor™) and gemfibrozil in patients with severe hypertriglyceridaemia. The primary objective was to measure the change in serum triglyceride (TG), and the secondary objectives were to study the changes in total cholesterol (TC), high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), very low density lipoprotein cholesterol (VLDL-C), apolipoproteins and free fatty acids.
  
  
  METHODS
  89 patients with severe hypertriglyceridaemia (defined as plasma TG >4.5 mmol/L) were randomised to receive in a double-blind fashion either Omacor™, a capsule containing the n-3 fatty acids eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) at a dosage of 4 g/day, or gemfibrozil 1200 mg/day for 12 weeks.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The baseline characteristics of the two randomised groups were similar. Compared with baseline, n-3 fatty acids and gemfibrozil reduced mean TG levels by 28.9 and 51.2%, respectively (p = 0.007). TC was decreased 10.2% with n-3 fatty acids, and 13.0% with gemfibrozil (p = 0.51), and VLDL-C was reduced 11.8 and 19.4% (p = 0.49) with n-3 fatty acids and gemfibrozil, respectively. HDL-C was increased by both compounds; n-3 fatty acids elevated HDL-C by only 1.2%, whereas it was elevated 27.9% by gemfibrozil (p = 0.012).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study indicated that both n-3 fatty acids and gemfibrozil markedly decreased TG levels in patients with severe hypertriglyceridaemia. Gemfibrozil, however, decreased TG levels and increased HDL-C significantly more than n-3 fatty acids.
authors: Department of Vascular Medicine, Academic Medical Centre, G1-146, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: van Dam
authors: Department of Medicine, Division of General Internal Medicine, University Hospital Nijmegen, Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors: A F
authors: AF
authors: Stalenhoef
authors: Department of Vascular Medicine, Academic Medical Centre, G1-146, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Wittekoek
authors: Department of Vascular Medicine, Academic Medical Centre, G1-146, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: M D
authors: MD
authors: Trip
authors: Department of Clinical Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Academic Medical Centre, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
authors: M H
authors: MH
authors: Prins
authors: Department of Vascular Medicine, Academic Medical Centre, G1-146, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. E.VANDONGEN@AMC.UVA.NL.
authors: J J
authors: JJ
authors: Kastelein