ABSTRACT
Background and Purpose: Research on non-hemodialysis patients has shown that ?3-fatty acid supplement can reduce the concentration of serum Lp[a]. Therefore, the present study was designed to investigate the effects of?3-fatty acid supplement on serum lipids and lipoproteins in hemodialysis patients
Methods and Materials: This double-blind randomized clinical trial was conducted on 40 hemodialysis patients in 2008 in Vase'i Hospital in Sabzevar, Iran; they were randomly assigned to either ?3-fatty acid supplement or placebo group. Patients in the ?3-fatty acid supplement group received 2080 mg ?3-fatty acid daily as 4 capsules, while the placebo group received 4 corresponding placebo capsules containing MCT oil. At baseline and the end of week 10 of the study, 5 ml blood samples were collected from each patient after a 12 to 14-hour fasting before dialysis; their serum triglyceride, total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C and Lp[a] were measured. The obtained data were analyzed in SPSS using Chi-square, t-test, 32?paired t-test and ANOVA
Results: Serum triglyceride concentration were 113 19 in the supplement and placebo groups respectively in the beginning and 109 17 at the end of week 10. The reduction?25 and 115?the amounts decreased to 101 was significant in the supplement group [p<0.01] and the difference between the supplement and placebo group was significant [P<0.0.006]. However, no significant differences were observed between the two groups as for the changes of serum total cholesterol, LDL-C, HDL-C and Lp[a] concentrations [P>0.05]
Conclusion: Results of the present study indicate that ?3-fatty acid supplement can reduce serum triglyceride concentration in hemodialysis patients but it does not affect other serum lipids and lipoproteins in hemodialysis patients