OMEGA-3 SUPPLEMENTATION IMPROVES ARTERIAL STIFFNESS AND BIOMARKERS OF CV RISK IN LATINO AND WHITE PATIENTS WITH HYPERTENSION SERVED BY A SAFETY-NET HEALTHCARE SYSTEM


Carlin S. Long, M.D., University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and Denver Health Medical Center, Denver, CO, USA

We previously reported on a cross sectional study of Latino and White hypertension patients in a safety-net healthcare system in which Framingham risk factors, markers of inflammation (hsCRP, LPpLA2), arterial stiffness (Pulse wave velocity, augmentation index, and central aortic pressure), and endothelial function (brachial artery flow-mediated dilatation) were measured (BMC Cardiovasc Disord. 2011; 11: 15). Univariate and multivariable associations between these parameters using carotid intima media thickness (cIMT) as a “gold-standard” for the presence of atherosclerosis we found that PWV, a measure of arterial stiffness, was associated with preclinical carotid atherosclerosis independent of Framingham risk factors. This is the first study to demonstrate that PWV is associated with preclinical atherosclerosis in an underserved population and suggests that measures of arterial stiffness could play a role in CVD risk stratification within the growing US safety-net population. In a follow-up to this work we conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled trial of the effect of omega-3 fatty acid supplementation on vascular function as measured by PWV and on circulating inflammatory markers. Results of this trial and its implications on CVD risk stratification in underserved populations will be discussed.