Dietary α-linolenic acid decreases C-reactive protein, serum amyloid A and interleukin-6 in dyslipidaemic patients

• Published in: Atherosclerosis 2003-04, Vol.167 (2), p.237-242
• Main Authors: Rallidis, Loukianos S., Paschos, Georgios, Liakos, Georgios K., Velissaridou, Aggeliki H., Anastasiadis, Georgios, Zampelas, Antonis
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: alpha-Linolenic Acid - administration & dosage; Biological and medical sciences; C-reactive protein; C-Reactive Protein - analysis; C-Reactive Protein - drug effects; Cholesterol, HDL - blood; Cholesterol, LDL - blood; Cohort Studies; Dietary Supplements; Diseases of the cardiovascular system; Disorders of blood lipids. Hyperlipoproteinemia; Dyslipidaemia; Humans; Hyperlipidemias - physiopathology; Interleukin-6; Interleukin-6 - blood; Linoleic acid; Linoleic Acids - administration & dosage; Male; Medical sciences; Metabolic diseases; Probability; Radioimmunoassay; Radiotherapy. Instrumental treatment. Physiotherapy. Reeducation. Rehabilitation, orthophony, crenotherapy. Diet therapy and various other treatments (general aspects); Sensitivity and Specificity; Serum amyloid A; Serum Amyloid A Protein - analysis; Serum Amyloid A Protein - drug effects; Statistics, Nonparametric; α-Linolenic acid
• ISSN: 0021-9150; 1879-1484
• DOI: 10.1016/S0021-9150(02)00427-6

Background: Inflammation plays an important role in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease. We examined whether dietary supplementation with α-linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3n-3) affects the levels of inflammatory markers in dyslipidaemic patients. Methods: We recruited 76 male dyslipidaemic patients (mean age=51±8 years) following a typical Greek diet. They were randomly assigned either to 15 ml of linseed oil (rich in ALA) per day ( n=50) or to 15 ml of safflower oil (rich in linoleic acid (LA, 18:2n-6)) per day ( n=26). The ratio of n-6:n-3 in linseed oil supplemented group was 1.3:1 and in safflower oil supplemented group 13.2:1. Dietary intervention lasted for 3 months. Blood lipids and C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were determined prior and after intervention. CRP and SAA were measured by nephelometry and IL-6 by immunoassay. Results: Dietary supplementation with ALA decreased significantly CRP, SAA and IL-6 levels. The median decrease of CRP was 38% (1.24 vs. 0.93 mg/l, P=0.0008), of SAA 23.1% (3.24 vs. 2.39 mg/l, P=0.0001) and of IL-6 10.5% (2.18 vs. 1.7 pg/ml, P=0.01). The decrease of inflammatory markers was independent of lipid changes. Dietary supplementation with LA did not affect significantly CRP, SAA and IL-6 concentrations but decreased cholesterol levels. Conclusions: Dietary supplementation with ALA for 3 months decreases significantly CRP, SAA and IL-6 levels in dyslipidaemic patients. This anti-inflammatory effect may provide a possible additional mechanism for the beneficial effect of plant n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in primary and secondary prevention of coronary artery disease.