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Omega-3 fatty acids may improve cardiac remodeling after acute MI
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High daily doses of omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil, when taken for 6 months, improved myocardial structure and function in patients with acute MI, according to data from the OMEGA-REMODEL trial.
According to the study background, although omega-3 fatty acids have been shown to improve overall survival for patients with MI, its role in improving myocardial structure was relatively unknown.
“[HF] is still a major problem after [MI] despite all the therapy we have and the advances in interventional care,” Raymond P. Kwong, MD, MPH, director of cardiac MRI at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, and associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School, said in a press release.
The multicenter, double blind trial consisted of patients with acute MI who were randomly assigned high doses of omega-3 fatty acids (n = 180) or placebo (n = 178). Additionally, the study used cardiac MRI to assess cardiac structure and tissue characteristics at baseline and after study therapy.
The primary endpoint was left ventricular systolic volume index change, with the secondary endpoints being change in noninfarct myocardial fibrosis, LV ejection fraction and infarct size. Follow-up was 6 months.
In an intention-to-treat analysis, patients assigned omega-3s showed a reduction in LV systolic volume index (–5.8%; P = .017) and noninfarct myocardial fibrosis (–5.6%; P = .026) compared with those assigned placebo. There were no significant differences between the groups in infarct size or LVEF.
A per-protocol analysis showed that patients in the highest quartile of increase in red blood cell omega-3 index had a 13% reduction in LV systolic volume index compared with the lowest quartile.
Patients in the omega-3 group had significant reduction in serum biomarkers of systemic and vascular inflammation and myocardial fibrosis, and no adverse events were associated with high doses of omega-3 fatty acids, according to the researchers.
Kwong said in the release that the results could possibly translate to a significant clinical impact and warrant prospective clinical studies.
“Our findings show that omega-3 fatty acids are a safe and effective treatment in improving cardiac remodeling, so it may be promising in reducing the incidence of [HF] or death, which are still major health care burdens to patients who suffer [MI],” he said. – by Dave Quaile
Disclosure: The researchers report no relevant financial disclosures.
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