J Endocrinol Metab

Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism, ISSN 1923-2861 print, 1923-287X online, Open Access

Article copyright, the authors; Journal compilation copyright, J Endocrinol Metab and Elmer Press Inc

Journal website http://www.jofem.org

Original Article

Volume 6, Number 3, June 2016, pages 75-79

Effects of the Switching From High-Purity Eicosapentaenoic Acid to Combination of Eicosapentaenoic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid on Metabolic Parameters: A Retrospective Longitudinal Study

**Table 1.** Baseline Characteristics of the Study Subjects (n = 36)
Age (years)	63.8 ± 16.4
Sex (male/female)	21/15
Body height (cm)	160.4 ± 9.8
Body weight (kg)	66.2 ± 14.9
Body mass index (BMI) (kg/m²)	26.3 ± 5.4
Patients taking anti-diabetic drugs (n)	14
Patients taking anti-hypertensive drugs (n)	19
Patients taking anti-platelet agents (n)	9
Patients taking lipid modifying agents (n)	35
Statins	17
Ion-exchange resin	2
Fibrates	4
Ezetimibe	12

Table 1. Baseline Characteristics of the Study Subjects (n = 36)

Age (years)

63.8 ± 16.4

Sex (male/female)

21/15

Body height (cm)

160.4 ± 9.8

Body weight (kg)

66.2 ± 14.9

Body mass index (BMI) (kg/m²)

26.3 ± 5.4

Patients taking anti-diabetic drugs (n)

Patients taking anti-hypertensive drugs (n)

Patients taking anti-platelet agents (n)

Patients taking lipid modifying agents (n)

Statins

Ion-exchange resin

Fibrates

Ezetimibe

**Table 2.** Changes in Daily EPA Dose by the Switching From High-Purity EPA to EPA + DHA
Daily EPA dose before switching (mg/day)	Daily EPA dose after switching (mg/day)	n
600	930	1
600	1,860	1
900	930	4
1,200	930	1
1,800	930	8
1,800	1,860	17
2,700	930	2
2,700	1,860	1

Table 2. Changes in Daily EPA Dose by the Switching From High-Purity EPA to EPA + DHA

Daily EPA dose before switching (mg/day)

Daily EPA dose after switching (mg/day)

600

930

600

1,860

900

930

1,200

930

1,800

930

1,800

1,860

2,700

930

2,700

1,860

**Table 3.** Effect of the Switching From High-Purity EPA to EPA + DHA on Metabolic Parameters in All Subjects (n = 36)
	n	Before	2 months after	P value
Body weight (kg)	17	66.2 ± 16.7	66.6 ± 17.1	0.73
Total cholesterol (mg/dL)	26	192 ± 36	192 ± 38	0.77
HDL-cholesterol (mg/dL)	32	48 ± 14	49 ± 15	0.78
LDL-cholesterol (mg/dL)	21	108 ± 36	109 ± 33	0.68
Triglyceride (mg/dL)	34	180 ± 136	163 ± 102	0.23
Non-HDL-cholesterol (mg/dL)	24	138 ± 29	141 ± 36	0.87
AST (IU/L)	34	27 ± 17	28 ± 14	0.34
ALT (IU/L)	32	31 ± 21	32 ± 22	0.35
HbA1c (%)	29	6.4 ± 0.8	6.4 ± 0.7	0.22

Table 3. Effect of the Switching From High-Purity EPA to EPA + DHA on Metabolic Parameters in All Subjects (n = 36)

Before

2 months after

P value

Body weight (kg)

66.2 ± 16.7

66.6 ± 17.1

0.73

Total cholesterol (mg/dL)

192 ± 36

192 ± 38

0.77

HDL-cholesterol (mg/dL)

48 ± 14

49 ± 15

0.78

LDL-cholesterol (mg/dL)

108 ± 36

109 ± 33

0.68

Triglyceride (mg/dL)

180 ± 136

163 ± 102

0.23

Non-HDL-cholesterol (mg/dL)

138 ± 29

141 ± 36

0.87

AST (IU/L)

27 ± 17

28 ± 14

0.34

ALT (IU/L)

31 ± 21

32 ± 22

0.35

HbA1c (%)

6.4 ± 0.8

6.4 ± 0.7

0.22

**Table 4.** Effect of the Switching From High-Purity EPA (1,800 mg/day) to EPA (930 mg/day) + DHA (750 mg/day), the Switching to the Formulation Including Half Daily Dose of EPA and DHA, on Metabolic Parameters (n = 8)
	n	Before	2 months after	P value
Body weight (kg)	2	57.5 ± 6.5	57.9 ± 7.2	0.69
Total cholesterol (mg/dL)	6	199 ± 23	198 ± 31	0.87
HDL-cholesterol (mg/dL)	6	52 ± 10	53 ± 10	0.80
LDL-cholesterol (mg/dL)	6	118 ± 43	120 ± 45	0.85
Triglyceride (mg/dL)	7	191 ± 196	146 ± 101	0.41
Non-HDL-cholesterol (mg/dL)	5	142 ± 29	148 ± 41	0.73
AST (IU/L)	7	30 ± 27	34 ± 30	0.53
ALT (IU/L)	7	36 ± 30	34 ± 30	0.47
HbA1c (%)	4	6.2 ± 0.5	6.2 ± 0.5	0.49

Table 4. Effect of the Switching From High-Purity EPA (1,800 mg/day) to EPA (930 mg/day) + DHA (750 mg/day), the Switching to the Formulation Including Half Daily Dose of EPA and DHA, on Metabolic Parameters (n = 8)

Before

2 months after

P value

Body weight (kg)

57.5 ± 6.5

57.9 ± 7.2

0.69

Total cholesterol (mg/dL)

199 ± 23

198 ± 31

0.87

HDL-cholesterol (mg/dL)

52 ± 10

53 ± 10

0.80

LDL-cholesterol (mg/dL)

118 ± 43

120 ± 45

0.85

Triglyceride (mg/dL)

191 ± 196

146 ± 101

0.41

Non-HDL-cholesterol (mg/dL)

142 ± 29

148 ± 41

0.73

AST (IU/L)

30 ± 27

34 ± 30

0.53

ALT (IU/L)

36 ± 30

34 ± 30

0.47

HbA1c (%)

6.2 ± 0.5

0.49

**Table 5.** Effect of the Switching From High-Purity EPA (900 and 1,800 mg/day) to EPA (930 and 1,860 mg/day) + DHA (750 and 1,500 mg/day), the Switching to the Formulation Including the Same Daily Dose of EPA and DHA, on Metabolic Parameters (n = 21)
	n	Before	2 months after	P value
Body weight (kg)	12	57.5 ± 6.5	57.9 ± 7.2	0.69
Total cholesterol (mg/dL)	15	199 ± 23	198 ± 31	0.87
HDL-cholesterol (mg/dL)	15	52 ± 10	53 ± 10	0.80
LDL-cholesterol (mg/dL)	11	118 ± 43	120 ± 45	0.85
Triglyceride (mg/dL)	22	176 ± 119	159 ± 101	0.22
Non-HDL-cholesterol (mg/dL)	15	142 ± 29	148 ± 41	0.73
AST (IU/L)	21	30 ± 27	34 ± 30	0.53
ALT (IU/L)	21	36 ± 30	34 ± 30	0.47
HbA1c (%)	21	6.2 ± 0.5	6.2 ± 0.5	0.49

Table 5. Effect of the Switching From High-Purity EPA (900 and 1,800 mg/day) to EPA (930 and 1,860 mg/day) + DHA (750 and 1,500 mg/day), the Switching to the Formulation Including the Same Daily Dose of EPA and DHA, on Metabolic Parameters (n = 21)

Before

2 months after

P value

Body weight (kg)

57.5 ± 6.5

57.9 ± 7.2

0.69

Total cholesterol (mg/dL)

199 ± 23

198 ± 31

0.87

HDL-cholesterol (mg/dL)

52 ± 10

53 ± 10

0.80

LDL-cholesterol (mg/dL)

118 ± 43

120 ± 45

0.85

Triglyceride (mg/dL)

176 ± 119

159 ± 101

0.22

Non-HDL-cholesterol (mg/dL)

142 ± 29

148 ± 41

0.73

AST (IU/L)

30 ± 27

34 ± 30

0.53

ALT (IU/L)

36 ± 30

34 ± 30

0.47

HbA1c (%)

6.2 ± 0.5

0.49

**Table 6.** Comparison of Serum Triglyceride (TG) at Baseline in Subgroups Which Were Divided by Effect of the Switching From High-Purity EPA to EPA + DHA on Serum TG
	n	TG decreased	TG increased and TG did not change	P value
All patients	34	214 ± 152 (n = 22)	119 ± 51 (n = 12)	0.051
Patients underwent the switching to the formulation including half dose of EPA and DHA (EPA → half EPA + DHA)	8	191 ± 214 (n = 6)	127 ± 42 (n = 2)	0.729
Patients underwent the switching to the formation including the same daily dose of EPA and DHA (EPA → same EPA + DHA)	21	212 ± 129 (n = 14)	103 ± 25 (n = 7)	0.049

Table 6. Comparison of Serum Triglyceride (TG) at Baseline in Subgroups Which Were Divided by Effect of the Switching From High-Purity EPA to EPA + DHA on Serum TG

TG decreased

TG increased and TG did not change

P value

All patients

214 ± 152 (n = 22)

119 ± 51 (n = 12)

0.051

Patients underwent the switching to the formulation including half dose of EPA and DHA (EPA → half EPA + DHA)

191 ± 214 (n = 6)

127 ± 42 (n = 2)

0.729

Patients underwent the switching to the formation including the same daily dose of EPA and DHA (EPA → same EPA + DHA)

212 ± 129 (n = 14)

103 ± 25 (n = 7)

0.049

**Table 7.** Effect of the Switching From High-Purity EPA to EPA + DHA on Serum TG in Subgroups Which Were Divided by Baseline TG
	n	Before	2 months after	P value
All patients	34
TG ≥ 150 mg/dL	14	298 ± 140	249 ± 91	0.096
TG < 150 mg/dL	20	99 ± 24	104 ± 54	0.722
EPA → half EPA + DHA	8
TG ≥ 150 mg/dL	2	417 ± 248	273 ± 80	0.549
TG < 150 mg/dL	5	101 ± 23	97 ± 54	0.907
EPA → same EPA + DHA	21
TG ≥ 150 mg/dL	8	297 ± 114	239 ± 107	0.009
TG < 150 mg/dL	13	102 ± 20	110 ± 56	0.673

Table 7. Effect of the Switching From High-Purity EPA to EPA + DHA on Serum TG in Subgroups Which Were Divided by Baseline TG

Before

2 months after

P value

All patients

TG ≥ 150 mg/dL

298 ± 140

249 ± 91

0.096

TG < 150 mg/dL

99 ± 24

104 ± 54

0.722

EPA → half EPA + DHA

TG ≥ 150 mg/dL

417 ± 248

273 ± 80

0.549

TG < 150 mg/dL

101 ± 23

97 ± 54

0.907

EPA → same EPA + DHA

TG ≥ 150 mg/dL

297 ± 114

239 ± 107

0.009

TG < 150 mg/dL

102 ± 20

110 ± 56

0.673