Influence of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid-supplementation on platelet aggregation in humans: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

• Published in: Atherosclerosis Vol. 226; no. 2; pp. 328 - 334
• Main Authors: Gao, Ling-gen, Cao, Jian, Mao, Qun-xia, Lu, Xue-chun, Zhou, Xian-liang, Fan, Li
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.02.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: adenosine; Adenosine Diphosphate; Adenosine Diphosphate - pharmacology; Adult; Arachidonic Acid; Arachidonic Acid - pharmacology; atherosclerosis; Atherosclerosis (general aspects, experimental research); Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Cardiology. Vascular system; Cardiovascular; Cardiovascular system; Collagen; Collagen - pharmacology; confidence interval; Dietary Supplements; drug effects; Fatty Acids, Omega-3; Fatty Acids, Omega-3 - therapeutic use; Health Status; Humans; Medical sciences; meta-analysis; Middle Aged; n-3 PUFAs; omega-3 fatty acids; patients; people; pharmacology; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Platelet aggregation; Platelet Aggregation - drug effects; polyunsaturated fatty acids; randomized clinical trials; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; therapeutic use; therapeutics; Vasodilator agents. Cerebral vasodilators; Adenosine diphosphate; Platelet aggregation; n-3 PUFAs; Arachidonic acid; Collagen; Human; Purine nucleoside; Adenosine; Glycoprotein; Polyunsaturated fatty acid; Lipids; Cardiovascular disease; Vascular disease; Aggregation; Platelet; Atherosclerosis; Supplementation
• ISSN: 0021-9150; 1879-1484; 1879-1484
• DOI: 10.1016/j.atherosclerosis.2012.10.056

Increased platelet activity predicts adverse cardiovascular events. The objective was to assess the effects of long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (n-3 PUFA)-supplementation on platelet aggregation. We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials identified using PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane Library. Fifteen studies were included. In comparison to placebo using the random-effect model, n-3 PUFA-supplementation significantly reduced adenosine diphosphate-induced platelet aggregation (standard mean difference [SMD] = −1.23 with 95% confidence interval [CI] −2.24 to −0.23, p = 0.02) and platelet aggregation units, determined using the VerifyNow® rapid platelet-function assay system (SMD = −6.78 with 95% CI −12.58 to −0.98, p = 0.02). There was a trend toward decreased collagen-induced (SMD = −0.70 with 95% CI −0.72 to 0.33, p = 0.18) and arachidonic acid-induced platelet aggregation (SMD = −0.43 with 95% CI −2.26 to 1.40, p = 0.64) compared with controls; however, statistical significance was not reached. Our meta-analysis demonstrates that n-3 PUFA-supplementation is associated with a significant reduction in platelet aggregation when the participants were at poor health status, but not in healthy persons. High-risk patients with cardiovascular disease and even diabetics may potentially benefit from n-3 PUFAs therapy. However, n-3 PUFAs may not be effective in primary prevention. Larger trials need to be carried out to confirm the present findings.