A double-blind randomized trial of fish oil to lower triglycerides and improve cardiometabolic risk in adolescents.

Authors

Samuel S. Gidding, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
Carol Prospero, DuPont Hospital for Children
Jobayer Hossain, DuPont Hospital for ChildrenFollow
Frances Zappalla, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
Prabhakaran Babu Balagopal, The Nemours Children's Clinic
Bonita Falkner, Thomas Jefferson UniversityFollow
Peter Kwiterovich, Johns Hopkins University

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

9-2014

Comments

This article has been peer reviewed. It is the authors' final version prior to publication in The Journal of Pediatrics. Volume 165, Issue 3, September 2014, Pages 497–503.e2.

The published version is available at DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2014.05.039 Copyright © Elsevier

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To determine the efficacy of 4 g/day fish oil to lower triglycerides and impact lipoprotein particles, inflammation, insulin resistance, coagulation, and thrombosis.

STUDY DESIGN: Participants (n = 42, age 14 ± 2 years) with hypertriglyceridemia and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol/dL were enrolled in a randomized, double-blind, crossover trial comparing 4 g of fish oil daily with placebo. Treatment interval was 8 weeks with a 4-week washout. Lipid profile, lipoprotein particle distribution and size, glucose, insulin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, fibrinogen, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1, and thrombin generation were measured.

RESULTS: Baseline lipid profile was total cholesterol 194 (5.4) mg/dL (mean [SE]), triglycerides 272 (21) mg/dL, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol 39 (1) mg/dL, and LDL cholesterol 112 (3.7) mg/dl. LDL particle number was 1614 (60) nmol/L, LDL size was 19.9 (1.4) nm, and large very low-density lipoprotein/chylomicron particle number was 9.6 (1.4) nmol/L. Triglycerides decreased on fish oil treatment but the difference was not significant compared with placebo (-52 ± 16 mg/dL vs -16 ± 16 mg/dL). Large very low-density lipoprotein particle number was reduced (-5.83 ± 1.29 nmol/L vs -0.96 ± 1.31 nmol/L; P < .0001). There was no change in LDL particle number or size. There was a trend towards a lower prothrombotic state (lower fibrinogen and plasminogen activator inhibitor-1; .10 > P > .05); no other group differences were seen.

CONCLUSIONS: In children, fish oil (4 g/day) lowers triglycerides slightly and may have an antithrombotic effect but has no effect on LDL particles.

Recommended Citation

Gidding, Samuel S.; Prospero, Carol; Hossain, Jobayer; Zappalla, Frances; Balagopal, Prabhakaran Babu; Falkner, Bonita; and Kwiterovich, Peter, "A double-blind randomized trial of fish oil to lower triglycerides and improve cardiometabolic risk in adolescents." (2014). Department of Pediatrics Faculty Papers. Paper 61.
https://jdc.jefferson.edu/pedsfp/61

PubMed ID

25008950