Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Chinese Patients with Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Abstract. Objective:. Fish oil (FO) contains omega-3 that inhibits inflammation and blood lipid metabolism, giving it a protective cardiovascular effect. Due to dietary habits, a majority of large-scale clinical trials examining FO and cardiovascular health have been conducted in the Caucasian popul...

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Main Authors: Zhu Mei, Haixu Song, Xiaoxiang Tian, Dan Liu, Xiaoxia Fu, Tianyu Xu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Health/LWW 2022-03-01
Series:Cardiology Discovery
Online Access:http://journals.lww.com/10.1097/CD9.0000000000000029
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author Zhu Mei
Haixu Song
Xiaoxiang Tian
Dan Liu
Xiaoxia Fu
Tianyu Xu
author_facet Zhu Mei
Haixu Song
Xiaoxiang Tian
Dan Liu
Xiaoxia Fu
Tianyu Xu
author_sort Zhu Mei
collection DOAJ
description Abstract. Objective:. Fish oil (FO) contains omega-3 that inhibits inflammation and blood lipid metabolism, giving it a protective cardiovascular effect. Due to dietary habits, a majority of large-scale clinical trials examining FO and cardiovascular health have been conducted in the Caucasian populations. However, the effects of FO on cardiovascular inflammation indicators and blood lipid metabolism in the Chinese population remain unclear. This study aimed to perform a meta-analysis to elucidate the impact of FO on cardiovascular health in the Chinese population. Methods:. Web searches were utilized to locate records of clinical trials related to cardiovascular health and consumption of FO capsules or fish containing omega-3 in several databases, including PubMed, Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, and ClinicalTrial.gov, etc. We obtained lipid metabolism and related proinflammatory markers as the study outcome. We used Review Manager 5.4 and Stata 16 for the statistical analysis. If the I2 ≥ 30%, a random effects model was used, and if the I2 < 30%, a fixed effects model was used. Results:. Twenty eligible trials were shortlisted from >1000 records. The meta-analysis revealed that supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid reduced systolic blood pressure by 1.88  mmHg (95% CI: −4.97 to −1.20, P = 0.23), diastolic blood pressure by 0.86  mmHg (95% CI: −1.79 to 0.06, P = 0.07), fasting blood glucose by 0.05 mmol/L (95% CI: −0.16 to 0.06, P = 0.40), and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol by 0.12  mmol/L (95% CI: −0.23 to −0.01, P = 0.04), when compared to placebo. However, these supplements increased high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol by 0.03  mmol/L (95% CI: 0.01 to 0.05, P < 0.001), when compared to placebo. Dose subgroup analyses examining total cholesterol found that the low-dose group (mean difference = −0.44, 95% CI: −0.55 to −0.34, P < 0.001) demonstrated the best results. Further, results from dose subgroup analyses showed that the all-dose group demonstrated a decrease in tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) levels among the study subjects, when compared to other groups. Conclusions:. Consumption of FO containing omega-3 fatty acids in the Chinese population can improve lipid metabolism and reduce levels of proinflammatory markers. Therefore, it is necessary to vigorously promote the benefits of consuming FO to prevent cardiovascular diseases throughout China.
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spelling doaj-art-a72d0da81acb42bb9fdc821bf0af3f4d2025-08-20T03:17:55ZengWolters Kluwer Health/LWWCardiology Discovery2096-952X2693-84992022-03-0121222910.1097/CD9.0000000000000029202203000-00004Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Chinese Patients with Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Systematic Review and Meta-AnalysisZhu Mei0Haixu Song1Xiaoxiang Tian2Dan Liu3Xiaoxia Fu4Tianyu Xu5Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research Institute, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China.Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research Institute, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China.Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research Institute, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China.Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research Institute, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China.Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research Institute, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China.Department of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Research Institute, General Hospital of Northern Theater Command, Shenyang, Liaoning 110016, China.Abstract. Objective:. Fish oil (FO) contains omega-3 that inhibits inflammation and blood lipid metabolism, giving it a protective cardiovascular effect. Due to dietary habits, a majority of large-scale clinical trials examining FO and cardiovascular health have been conducted in the Caucasian populations. However, the effects of FO on cardiovascular inflammation indicators and blood lipid metabolism in the Chinese population remain unclear. This study aimed to perform a meta-analysis to elucidate the impact of FO on cardiovascular health in the Chinese population. Methods:. Web searches were utilized to locate records of clinical trials related to cardiovascular health and consumption of FO capsules or fish containing omega-3 in several databases, including PubMed, Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, CNKI, and ClinicalTrial.gov, etc. We obtained lipid metabolism and related proinflammatory markers as the study outcome. We used Review Manager 5.4 and Stata 16 for the statistical analysis. If the I2 ≥ 30%, a random effects model was used, and if the I2 < 30%, a fixed effects model was used. Results:. Twenty eligible trials were shortlisted from >1000 records. The meta-analysis revealed that supplementation with eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid reduced systolic blood pressure by 1.88  mmHg (95% CI: −4.97 to −1.20, P = 0.23), diastolic blood pressure by 0.86  mmHg (95% CI: −1.79 to 0.06, P = 0.07), fasting blood glucose by 0.05 mmol/L (95% CI: −0.16 to 0.06, P = 0.40), and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol by 0.12  mmol/L (95% CI: −0.23 to −0.01, P = 0.04), when compared to placebo. However, these supplements increased high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol by 0.03  mmol/L (95% CI: 0.01 to 0.05, P < 0.001), when compared to placebo. Dose subgroup analyses examining total cholesterol found that the low-dose group (mean difference = −0.44, 95% CI: −0.55 to −0.34, P < 0.001) demonstrated the best results. Further, results from dose subgroup analyses showed that the all-dose group demonstrated a decrease in tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α) levels among the study subjects, when compared to other groups. Conclusions:. Consumption of FO containing omega-3 fatty acids in the Chinese population can improve lipid metabolism and reduce levels of proinflammatory markers. Therefore, it is necessary to vigorously promote the benefits of consuming FO to prevent cardiovascular diseases throughout China.http://journals.lww.com/10.1097/CD9.0000000000000029
spellingShingle Zhu Mei
Haixu Song
Xiaoxiang Tian
Dan Liu
Xiaoxia Fu
Tianyu Xu
Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Chinese Patients with Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Cardiology Discovery
title Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Chinese Patients with Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
title_full Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Chinese Patients with Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
title_fullStr Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Chinese Patients with Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
title_full_unstemmed Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Chinese Patients with Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
title_short Effects of Omega-3 Fatty Acids on Chinese Patients with Cardiovascular Risk Factors: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
title_sort effects of omega 3 fatty acids on chinese patients with cardiovascular risk factors a systematic review and meta analysis
url http://journals.lww.com/10.1097/CD9.0000000000000029
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