title: Does Omega-3 supplementation decrease carotid intima-media thickening in hemodialysis patients?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial was performed to assess the effect of omega-3 supplementation (3 g/day) on atherosclerosis progression by measuring carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) in hemodialysis (HD) patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 54 HD patients were randomized into two groups: Intervention group (n= 27), in which patients were given 3 g/day omega-3 for 6 months and placebo group (n= 27), in which patients received placebo using the same administration protocol. All patients underwent a carotid artery ultrasound scan to measure cIMT at baseline and at 6 months.
  
  
  RESULTS
  cIMT decreased significantly in omega-3 group (0.79 ± 0.21 mm at baseline vs. 0.65 ± 0.18 mm at 6 months,P< 0.001). On the other hand, a nonsignificant increase in cIMT was seen in placebo group (0.75 ± 0.17 mm at baseline vs. 0.79 ± 0.17 mm at 6 months,P= 0.12). Moreover, cIMT was statistically significantly different between omega-3 and placebo groups at 6 months (P< 0.001). After 6 months, a statistically significant increase was observed in high-density lipoprotein level in omega-3 group compared to placebo group (P= 0.03). Urea reduction ratio was also statistically significantly higher in omega-3 than placebo group at 6 months (P= 0.03). No significant difference was observed in terms of other variables between the two groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These data suggested that omega-3 supplementation plays a protective role in the progression of atherosclerosis in HD patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mohammad Hossein
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kajbaf
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Isfahan Neurosciences Research Center, Al-Zahra Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Fariborz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Khorvash
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Isfahan Kidney Diseases Research Center, Al-Zahra Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Mojgan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mortazavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Isfahan Kidney Diseases Research Center, Al-Zahra Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Shahrzad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shahidi
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran; Isfahan Kidney Diseases Research Center, Al-Zahra Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Firoozeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Moeinzadeh
authors.affiliation: Department of Community and Family Medicine, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Ziba
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Farajzadegan
authors.affiliation: Isfahan Kidney Diseases Research Center, Al-Zahra Research Institute, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran.
authors.forename: Shahnaz Amani
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Tirani
keywords: Cardiovascular disease; Omega-3; carotid intima-media thickness; hemodialysis