Omega-3 Fatty Acid Supplementation on Lipid Profiles in Dialysis Patients: Meta-analysis

Background and Aims. Studies of omega-3 supplementation in dialysis patients describe salutary effects on lipid profiles. However, study results have been inconsistent. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of omega-3 supplementation on serum lipids in chronic dialysis patients. Methods. A systematic literature search was performed to identify the relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that investigated the effects of omega-3 supplementation on dialysis patients. The outcomes included the levels of triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and albumin. Mean differences (MDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated and heterogeneity was assessed with the I-2 test. Results. A total of 678 patients from 14 trials were subjected to meta-analysis. Omega-3 supplementation could significantly decrease the levels of TG (MD, -34.8 mg/dL; -95% CI, -62.32 to -7.28) and LDL (MD, -7.15 mg/dL; 95% CI, -10.11 to -4.2). However, no statistically significant effects were observed for TC, HDL and albumin levels. In a subgroup meta-analysis, a statistically significant effect of omega-3 consumption on TG and LDL was observed in a short-term interventional duration and hemodialysis populations. Conclusion. Our findings indicate that omega-3 supplementation significantly reduced serum TG and LDL level in dialysis patients. However, there is no conclusive evidence that it can modulate the TC, HDL and albumin level. (C) 2014 IMSS. Published by Elsevier Inc.