Supplementation of wheat fibre can improve risk profile in patients with dysmetabolic cardiovascular syndrome

Abstract

We explored the effects of regular consumption of wheat fibre in patients with dysmetabolic cardiovascular syndrome (MCVS). Forty-two patients with MCVS (mean age 49 ケ 8 years) were randomly assigned to a treated group (n = 21) or to a control group (n=21). Patients in the treated group ate 10.5 g of wheat fibre powder per day for the first week, followed by 21 g per day for the next 4 weeks. A standard high-fibre diet was recommended to both groups. Blood pressure, metabolic parameters, fibrinolytic parameters and factor VII activity were measured at entry and after 5 and 9 weeks. After completing treatment, patients from both groups lost an average of 1 kg weight. Consumption of wheat fibre resulted in a significant (P<0.05) decrease of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting glucose, glucose 2 h after oral glucose challenge (OGC), total cholesterol, low-density and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, ranging from 7 to 18%. Furthermore, no significant reductions in fasting insulin, insulin 1 and 2 h after OGC, and glucose 1 h after OGC were found, whereas no differences in fibrinolytic parameters and factor VII activity were observed. Almost all beneficial effects of wheat fibre diminished 4 weeks after its withdrawal. In the non-treated group only a significant decrease of systolic pressure was observed. Our results suggest that supplementation of wheat fibre, not just a standard high-fibre diet, may improve cardiovascular risk profile in patients with MCVS, in a manner independent of weight reduction. Eur J Cardiovasc Prevention Rehab 11:144ã¢â‚¬â€œ148 ã‚© 2004 The European Society of Cardiology. © 2004, European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved.