Dietary long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCn-3PUFA) improve endothelial function in medium-large-sized arteries, but effects on small peripheral arteries, responsible for most arterial resistance, are little known. We investigated the effects of increasing LCn-3PUFA intake with the usual diet on small artery reactive hyperemia index (saRHI). Within a clinical trial evaluating the effects of 1 year of intensive lifestyle intervention versus standard care on cardiovascular markers in subjects at risk, we selected 108 participants regardless of treatment allocation (n=47 standard care; n=61 intensive intervention) with complete baseline and follow-up information on dietary, clinical, saRHI and biochemical data, including biomarkers of inflammation and endothelial activation. At the end of follow-up, saRHI increased across tertiles of change in dietary LCn-3PUFA. Subjects in the top tertile (increased LCn-3PUFA intake) increased serum ApoA1 and decreased hs-CRP, serum TNF-α, sICAM-1, sVCAM-1 and oxLDL from baseline. After pooling data, in unadjusted models, changes in saRHI significantly correlated to changes in LCn-3PUFA intake and ApoA1 (directly) and changes in systolic blood pressure, waist circumference, TNF-α, sVCAM-1 and sE-selectin (inversely). In a multivariate model, changes in dietary LCn-3PUFA were significantly associated with changes in saRHI [B=0.08 (95% confidence interval=0.083-0.291) for an increase by 100 mg/day]. Systolic blood pressure was inversely associated with saRHI changes [B=-0.203 (-0.441 to -0.029) for a 9-mmHg increase]. We conclude that increased dietary consumption of LCn-3PUFA might be a cost-effective strategy to improve peripheral vasoactivity.
Keywords: Cardiovascular risk; Diet; Docosahexaenoic acid; Eicosapentaenoic acid; Endothelial function; Inflammation.
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