Table 1.
Baseline characteristics of users and non-users of statins randomized to placebo or n-3 fatty acid supplementation in the Alpha Omega Trial
| Statin users (n= 3740) |
Statin non-users (n= 413) |
|||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Placebo (n= 943) | EPA–DHA (n = 920) | ALA (n = 930) | EPA–DHA + ALA (n = 947) | Placebo (n = 113) | EPA–DHA (n=102) | ALA (n=102) | EPA–DHA + ALA (n= 96) | |
| Age, years | 68.7 ± 5.6 | 68.7 ± 5.5 | 68.5 ± 5.3 | 68.8 ± 5.5 | 70.4 ± 5.8 | 71.5 ± 5.2 | 71.8 ± 6.3 | 71.2 ± 5.9 |
| Male gender, n (%) | 745 (79) | 718 (78) | 734 (79) | 751 (79) | 85 (75) | 72 (71) | 78 (76) | 66 (69) |
| Median time since MI, years | 3.4 (1.5–6.2) | 3.6 (1.7–6.3) | 3.6 (1.7–6.3) | 3.6 (1.6–6.2) | 4.8 (2.8–6.3) | 4.7 (2.8–7.3) | 5.1 (1.8–7.2) | 4.6 (2.2–7.2) |
| Self-reported history of stroke, n (%) | 58 (6) | 61 (7) | 67 (7) | 60 (6) | 11 (10)a,b | 10 (10)a,b | 6 (6)b | 14 (15)a |
| Use of cardiovascular medication, n (%) | ||||||||
| Antithrombotic agents | 930 (99) | 909 (99) | 919 (99) | 925 (98) | 105 (93)a,b | 92 (90)a,b | 98 (96)b | 82 (85)a |
| Antihypertensive agents | 856 (90)a,b | 853 (93)a | 835 (90)b | 856 (90)a,b | 97 (86) | 84 (88) | 97 (86) | 85 (83) |
| Blood pressure, mmHg | ||||||||
| Systolic | 141.6 ± 20.9 | 142.3 ± 21.3 | 141.2 ± 20.9 | 140.8 ± 22.2 | 141.5 ± 23.6 | 141.7 ± 23.7 | 141.7 ± 23.7 | 143.5 ± 26.6 |
| Diastolic | 80.0 ± 10.5 | 80.5 ± 11.3 | 80.3 ± 11.0 | 80.2 ± 11.1 | 80.2 ± 13.2 | 77.4 ± 12.2 | 77.4 ± 12.2 | 80.2 ± 11.8 |
| Plasma glucose, mmol/L | 6.25 ± 2.10 | 6.21 ± 2.10 | 6.17 ± 1.95 | 6.18 ± 2.27 | 6.07 ± 1.61a | 5.64 ± 1.42b | 6.09 ± 1.73a | 6.46 ± 2.25a |
| Serum lipids, mmol/L | ||||||||
| Total cholesterol | 4.59 ± 0.88 | 4.61 ± 0.86 | 4.56 ± 0.84 | 4.55 ± 0.84 | 5.61 ± 1.15 | 5.58 ± 1.14 | 5.51 ± 1.03 | 5.50 ± 1.00 |
| LDL cholesterol | 2.44 ± 0.73 | 2.48 ± 0.73 | 2.43 ± 0.71 | 2.44 ± 0.70 | 3.49 ± 1.03 | 3.42 ± 0.84 | 3.34 ± 0.94 | 3.28 ± 0.82 |
| HDL cholesterol | 1.29 ± 0.34 | 1.29 ± 0.35 | 1.29 ± 0.34 | 1.29 ± 0.32 | 1.25 ± 0.41 | 1.30 ± 0.37 | 1.26 ± 0.34 | 1.33 ± 0.41 |
| TC/HDL cholesterol ratio | 3.76 ± 1.05 | 3.76 ± 1.03 | 3.73 ± 1.03 | 3.68 ± 0.95 | 4.75 ± 1.23 | 4.55 ± 1.25 | 4.58 ± 1.15 | 4.47 ± 1.40 |
| Median triglycerides, mmol/L (range) | 1.68 (1.22–2.38)b | 1.62 (1.24–2.29)a,b | 1.61 (1.19–2.28)a,b | 1.59 (1.18–2.20)a | 1.75 (1.37–2.42)b | 1.59 (1.17–2.18)a | 1.79 (1.31–2.46)a,b | 1.52 (1.22–2.25)a,b |
| BMI, kg/m2 | 27.9 ± 3.8 | 27.7 ± 3.7 | 27.8 ± 3.7 | 27.8 ± 3.9 | 27.2 ± 4.7 | 27.3 ± 3.8 | 27.9 ± 4.5 | 27.6 ± 4.8 |
| Diabetes mellitus, n (%) | 190 (20) | 204 (22) | 201 (22) | 180 (19) | 15 (13)b | 18 (18)a,b | 20 (20)a,b | 24 (25)a |
| Physical activityc <5 days/week, n (%) | 197 (21) | 188 (20) | 194 (21) | 217 (23) | 22 (19)a,b | 23 (23)a | 11 (11)b | 25 (26)a |
| Current smoker, n (%) | 169 (18) | 153 (17) | 165 (18) | 142 (15) | 24 (21) | 21 (21) | 19 (19) | 13 (14) |
| Alcohol use ≥1 glass/week, n (%) | 673 (71) | 646 (70) | 661 (71) | 691 (73) | 74 (65) | 56 (55) | 68 (67) | 60 (63) |
| Median fish consumption, g/day (range) | 14.3 (5.9–18.4)b | 15.0 (7.5–19.8)a,b | 15.3 (7.8–22.4)a | 15.1 (6.4–19.4)a,b | 15.0 (5.3–19.1) | 11.7 (5.2–18.3) | 13.5 (6.0–17.1) | 13.9 (5.9–18.3) |
| Intake of fish ≥20 g/day, n (%) | 288 (31) | 286 (31) | 296 (32) | 292 (31) | 39 (35) | 41 (40) | 28 (27) | 33 (34) |
| Median intake of EPA–DHA,d mg/day (range) | 120 (50–210)b | 130 (60–205)a,b | 130 (60–220)a | 130 (50–210)a,b | 120 (60–200) | 90 (40–190) | 105 (45–180) | 115 (40–220) |
Plus–minus values are means ± SD; range is the inter-quartile range. ALA, α-linolenic acid; BMI, body mass index; DHA, docosahexaenoic acid; EPA, eicosapentaenoic acid; MI, myocardial infarction; TC/HDL cholesterol ratio, total to HDL cholesterol ratio.
a,bValues within a row with different superscripts were significantly different (P < 0.05).
cPhysical activity with a Metabolic Equivalent Task score >3.
dIntake of EPA–DHA outside the study treatment.