IMPACT OF OMEGA-3 FATTY ACIDS IN QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE FEATURES OF LIPOPROTEIN OF BRAZILIAN SMOKERS AND NON-SMOKERS

Background and objectives: Cigarette smoking is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. In addition, smokers have lower plasma omega-3, which contribute to increase the cardiovascular risk in these subjects. Objectives: To evaluate the impact of omega-3 supplementation on traditional lipid profile of smokers and its relation with qualitative features of lipoproteins. Methods: Based in a randomized and parallel clinical study smokers and non-smokers subjects were enrolled. Omega-3 was administrated in capsules (3.0 g/day) and all subjects were monitored during 8 weeks. After complete demographic (sex, age), clinic (medication, actual disease, familial history of disease), diet (R24h), anthropometric (weight, waist circumference) and habitual physical activity evaluation, blood samples were collected after 12h of fasting. Lipid profile (total cholesterol, LDL-c, HDL-c, triglycerides, Apo AI and Apo B), glucose, insulin, non-esterified fatty acids, oxidized LDL and subfractions of HDL and LDL were analyzed. Results: Both, smoker (n=17) and non-smoker (n=44) groups showed similar age, ethnicity, diet, physical activity, current medication and Framingham risk score, however smokers group had more male (p=0.039). After 8 weeks of intervention, total cholesterol and LDL-c were reduced in smokers. Triglyceride levels decreased in both groups (smoker= -15%; non-smoker = -17%, p= 0.536) during follow-up time. There was not significant changes in LDL subfraction, however, non-smokers showed higher large HDL (smoker= +5%; non-smoker = +14%, p= 0.010) and lower small HDL (smoker= -3%; non-smoker = -16%, p= 0.024). The omega-3 was associated with non-esterified fatty acids (r=-0.512; p=0.042) and electronegative LDL (r=0.793; p