Aim. To evaluate the influence of combination of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and atorvastatin on the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) after coronary bypass surgery (CBS). Material and methods. The study included 114 patients divided into 2 groups, one comprised of 59 ones (75,6% men of mean age 62,0±7,3 yr given conventional medication), the other including 55 patients (80,0% men of mean age 59,4±6,7 yr given omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids 5 days before (2 g/d) and during 3 weeks after CBS (1 g/d)). All patients were treated with atorvastatin at the outpatient stage. IL-6,8, 10 and C-reactive protein (CRP), fibrinogen, troponin, NT-proBNP, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and myeloperoxidase were measured at admittance and on day 3.7±1.4 after surgery. Results. AF developed on day 5.9±4.9 (mean) after surgery. Patients of group 2 tended to have fewer new episodes of arrhythmia although no significant difference between the groups was documented (9,1% vs 18,6%, р=0,12). Group 2 included more smokers (74,5% vs 45,8%, р=0,002) and patients with atherosclerosis of lower limb arteries (87,3% vs 71,2%, р=0,03) but fewer those consuming nitrates (39,0% vs 18,2%, р=0,01) and Ca antagonists (45,8% vs 21,8%, р=0,006).Mean dose of atorvastatin given to patients of groups 1 and 2 was 24.7±12.5 and 25.1±10.5 mg/d respectively (р=0,2), duration of its intake 14.6±12.7 and 21.5±19.3 months (р<0,001). There. was no significant difference between leukocyte count, leukogram, IL-8, IL-10, NT-proBNP, and troponin levels before and after CBS. Surgical myocardial revascularization caused a rise in leukocyte count, shifted the leukogram toward predominance of stab and segmented cells, increased IL-8, IL-10, fibrinogen, NT-proBNP, CRP, and troponin levels in both groups. IL-8 and IL-10 levels remained normal before and after surgery. Preoperative IL-6 level in group 1 was significantly higher than in group 2 (21,7±13,0 vs 2.5±2,2 pg/ml, р<0,001). Postoperatively, the difference was absent. The CRP level before surgery was high in both groups (3122.7±2175.8 vs 3670.8±2490.0 U/g) but decreased after CBS although remained higher in group 1 (1957.6±1660.3 vs 1069.8±630.2 U/g, р<0,001). Myeloperoxidase level increased postoperatively in both groups but the difference was insignificant. Fibrinogen and CRP in the postoperative period increased more significantly in group 2 than in group 1 (4,9±1,4 vs 4,4±1,1 g/l, р=0,02 and 8,6±2,2 vs 5,4±2,3 mg/l respectively, р<0,001). Conclusion. The study revealed an insignificant decrease in the number of AF episodes in the early post-CDS period in patients treated with omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and atorvastatin compared with those given the latter medication alone. Also, fibrinogen and CRP levels as markers of inflammation increased while SOD antioxidative activity decreased.
Susceptibility of LDL to oxidative modification in healthy volunteers supplemented with low doses ofn-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids