Eicosapentaenoic acid restrains the development of the cardiovascular events independent of triglyceride and C-reactive protein reduction in Japanese hemodialysis patients

Abstract

Backgrounds: It is well known that eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) contributes to secondary prevention of coronary artery disease. Hemodialysis (HD) patients have a high incidence of cardiovascular disease and inceased mortality. However, whether EPA decreases risks of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality has not been elucidated in HD patients. Methods: A prospective, randomized, open‐label controlled trial was carried out in our dialysis institute since 2010. A total of 89 hemodialysis patients were randomly allocated into intervention group (receiving 1800 mg/day of EPA) and 90 patients were allocated into control group. Patients followed for 2 years. Outcomes were all‐cause and cardiovascular death, cardiovascular events (acute myocar‐dial infarction, stroke and aortic disease‐related event) and a combined‐outcome (CO) of all‐cause death and cardiovascular events. Results: Baseline characteristics and outcome results were shown in the table. Both the survival rate and the event‐free rate from CO in the intervention group were significantly higher than those in controls. The C‐reactive protein level and triglyceride at the beginning and at the end of the trial was not different between two groups statistically. (table Presented) Conclusion: EPA significantly contributes to decline in risks of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in HD patients independent of triglyceride and C‐reactive protein reduction.