Marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in patients with end-stage renal failure and in subjects without kidney disease: a comparative study

Abstract

Objective: Patients with end-stage renal disease treated with chronic hemodialysis (HD) are reported to have low levels of marine n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) in plasma and cell membranes compared with healthy subjects. The aim of this study was to investigate whether n-3 PUFA levels in plasma and cells are lower in HD patients as compared with subjects without kidney disease.

Research design: A comparative study was carried out.

Setting: This study was carried out at the Departments of Nephrology and Cardiology, Aalborg Hospital, Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark.

Participants: This study consisted of 2 study populations comprising HD patients and 5 study populations comprising subjects without kidney disease.

Intervention: The fatty acid distribution in plasma phospholipids and platelet phospholipids was measured using gas chromatography.

Main outcome measure: Eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), and arachidonic acid (AA) levels in plasma or serum phospholipids and platelet phospholipids in HD patients were compared with n-3 PUFA levels in subjects without kidney disease.

Results: EPA and DHA were lower and AA/EPA was higher in plasma/serum phospholipids in HD patients than in subjects without kidney disease. Similarly, higher AA and AA/EPA and lower EPA and DHA levels were found in platelet phospholipids of HD patients. Adjustment for gender, age, and habitual intake of fish and fish oil supplements did not change these results.

Conclusion: HD patients have lower n-3 PUFA levels in plasma and cells compared with subjects without kidney disease.