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Omega-3 therapy confers reduced GI bleeding in patients with LVAD
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The use of omega-3 therapy may reduce gastrointestinal bleeding in patients supported with continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices, according to a study published in Circulation: Heart Failure.
“Omega-3, an unsaturated fatty acid that may possess anti-inflammatory and antiangiogenic properties, had a primary preventive efficacy of gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with a left ventricular assist device,” Teruhiko Imamura, MD, PhD, of the department of medicine at the University of Chicago Medical Center, and colleagues wrote. “The preventive efficacy of omega-3 remained, despite background-adjusted analysis.”
To examine the effect of omega-3 therapy on incidence of gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, researchers conducted a retrospective analysis of 166 patients who had been implanted with an LVAD at the University of Chicago Medical Center between April 2014 and May 2017 (mean age, 57 years; 83% men; mean LVAD duration before enrollment, 20 days).
Participants were divided into the omega-3 therapy group (n = 30) or the control group (n = 136). The omega-3 therapy participants were given 4 mg per day of omega-3 therapy for 310 days. The control group was observed for 302 days.
Researchers found that the omega-3 group had a higher rate of freedom from GI bleeding at 1 year than the control group (97% vs. 73%; P = .02).
Omega-3 therapy was associated with less occurrence of GI bleeding in both the univariate (HR = 0.12; 95% CI, 0.02-0.91) and multivariate Cox proportional HR analyses (HR = 0.13; 95% CI, 0.02-0.98).
Researchers found that the frequency of GI bleeding was lower in those in the omega-3 group than the control group (0.08 vs. 0.37 events per year; P = .01) and that those treated with the therapy had lower blood product transfusion and shorter lengths of stay in the hospital.
After matching for patient background characteristics, the frequency of GI bleeding remained lower in the omega-3 group than in the control group (96% vs. 73%; P = .028), according to the researchers.
“Omega-3 therapy was associated with significantly less GI [bleeding], as well as better clinical outcomes during LVAD support, even after the adjustment with key background factors,” the researchers wrote. “A randomized placebo-controlled study and a biomarker study to approach the mechanism of omega-3 therapy are warranted to support the current results.” – by Melissa J. Webb
Disclosures: Imamura reports receiving financial funding from Fukuda Foundation for Medical Technology and Postdoctoral Fellowship for Research Abroad of Japan Society for the Promotion of Science. Please see the study for all other authors’ relevant financial disclosures.
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