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Updated: Jul 12, 2025

Ultrasound Assessment of Endothelial Function: A Technical Guideline of the Flow-mediated Dilation Test
Published on: April 27, 2016
Omega-3 fatty acids and endothelial function: A GRADE-assessed systematic review and meta-analysis
Seyyed Mostafa Arabi1, Hossein Bahari2, Mahla Chambari1
1Noncommunicable Diseases Research Center, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran.
Introduction:
N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) supplementation has been reported to have an impact on flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), a conventionally used clinical technique for estimating endothelial dysfunction. However, its proven effects on endothelial function are unclear. This systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to evaluate the effects of n-3 PUFAs supplementation on FMD of the brachial artery.
Method:
This study was performed following the PRISMA guidelines. To identify eligible RCTs, a systematic search was completed in PubMed/Medline, Scopus and Web of Science using relevant keywords. A fixed- or random-effects model was utilized to estimate the weighted mean difference (WMD) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI).
Results:
Thirty-two studies (with 35 arms) were included in this meta-analysis, involving 2385 subjects with intervention duration ranging from 4 to 48 weeks. The pooled meta-analysis demonstrated a significant effect of omega-3 on FMD (WMD = 0.8%, 95% CI = 0.3-1.3, p = .001) and heterogeneity was significant (I2 = 82.5%, p < .001).
Conclusion:
We found that n-3 PUFA supplementation improves endothelial function as estimated by flow-mediated dilatation of the brachial artery.
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