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Omega- 3 Ethyl Ester Concentrate Decreases Total Apolipoprotein CIII and Increases Antithrombin III in Postmyocardial Infarction Patients

  • Clinical Pharmacodynamic
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Summary

This study investigated whether an ethyl ester preparation of fish oil (ω-3) could normalise raised plasma concentrations of triglycerides, apolipoprotein CIII on apolipoprotein B-containing particles (LP CIII:B) found in patients with recent acute myocardial infarction. We also studied the effect of fish oil on antithrombin III levels. Out of 75 patients with a plasma triglyceride value ≥2.0 mmol/L, 22 normalised their triglycerides during diet and were therefore not randomised. The remaining patients were randomly assigned to 12 weeks’ treatment with a daily dose of 4g ω-3 or placebo. Mean plasma triglyceride concentrations were reduced by 24% from 3.10 ± 1.15 (SD) to 2.53 ± 0.94 mmol/L (p < 0.001) on ω-3 (p < 0.001 vs placebo). The reduction was due to decreases in very low density lipoprotein concentrations. Total apolipoprotein CIII decreased significantly. This was due to reductions in LP CIII:non B concentrations, but the ratio LP CIII:non B/LP CIII:B was unaffected because of a slight insignificant decrease in LP CIII:B. The plasma triglyceride decreasing effect of ω-3 could therefore not be due to redistribution of CIII between lipoproteins. Low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol increased significantly with ω-3 by 7%, and anti-thrombin III increased significantly with fish oil.

In conclusion, ω-3 had a moderate plasma triglyceride lowering effect and increased LDL cholesterol slightly, while antithrombin III increased in patients with hypertriglyceridaemia who had recently experienced a myocardial infarction.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Cardiology, Institution of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Hospital, S-581 85, Linköping, Sweden

    Eva Swahn

  2. Department of Clinical Chemistry, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden

    Henning von Schenck

  3. Department of Medicine and Care and Clinical Research Centre, Faculty of Health Sciences, University Hospital, Linköping, Sweden

    Anders G. Olsson

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  1. Eva Swahn
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  2. Henning von Schenck
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  3. Anders G. Olsson
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Swahn, E., von Schenck, H. & Olsson, A.G. Omega- 3 Ethyl Ester Concentrate Decreases Total Apolipoprotein CIII and Increases Antithrombin III in Postmyocardial Infarction Patients. Clin. Drug Investig. 15, 473–482 (1998). https://doi.org/10.2165/00044011-199815060-00003

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.2165/00044011-199815060-00003

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