EFFECTS OF A FISH OIL DIET ON PIGS CARDIOPULMONARY RESPONSE TO BACTEREMIA

Since an omega-3 fatty acid (FA) diet may have beneficial effects in inflammatory processes, we tested the hypothesis that the physiologic response to sepsis could be modified by altering the eicosanoid precursor pool via an omega-3 FA diet. Two groups (n = 8) of pigs were prefed for 8 days either an omega-3 FA or an omega-6 FA diet (Weaner Pig Feed with either menhaden or corn oil to produce a eucaloric feed with 15% fat) and then injected with live Escherichia coli. The omega-3 FA diet increased the concentration of eicosapentainoic acid (EPA, 20:5-omega-3) in plasma lipids, and increased the ratio of EPA to arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4-omega-6) in platelets from 1:20 to 1:1 over the 8 days. Following the injection of bacteria, there was a fall in PaO2 and blood pressure that was attenuated (p < 0.05) by the omega-3 FA diet. The omega-3 FA diet, compared to the omega-6 FA diet, also attenuated the rise in thromboxane B2 (3.0 +/- 1.1 vs 12.9 +/- 5.7 ng/mL) and 6 keto-PGF1-alpha (0.8 +/- 0.5 vs 1.7 +/- 1.1 ng/mL) associated with bacteremia. We conclude that dietary omega-3 FA attenuated the physiologic response to sepsis, possibly by modifying arachidonic acid metabolism.