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Anti-inflammatory effect of virgin olive oil in stable coronary disease patients: a randomized, crossover, controlled trial

Abstract

Objectives:

To assess the effect of two similar olive oils, but with differences in their phenolic compounds (powerful antioxidant compounds), on inflammatory markers in stable coronary heart disease patients.

Design:

Placebo-controlled, crossover, randomized trial.

Setting:

Cardiology Department of Hospital del Mar and Institut Municipal d’Investigació Mèdica (Barcelona).

Subjects:

Twenty-eight stable coronary heart disease patients.

Interventions:

A raw daily dose of 50 ml of virgin and refined olive oil (ROO) was sequentially administered over two periods of 3-weeks, preceded by 2-week washout periods in which ROO was used.

Results:

Interleukin-6 (P<0.002) and C-reactive protein (P=0.024) decreased after virgin olive oil intervention. No changes were observed in soluble intercellular and vascular adhesion molecules, glucose and lipid profile.

Conclusions:

Consumption of virgin olive oil, could provide beneficial effects in stable coronary heart disease patients as an additional intervention to the pharmacological treatment.

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Acknowledgements

We thank the Ferderació Cooperatives Agràries de Catalunya for provide the olive oil used in the study. Fondo de investigación Sanitaria:FIS-PI02-0791 and partially supported by CIBER: CB-03-0028.

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Correspondence to M Fitó.

Additional information

Guarantor: M Fitó.

SOLOS (Spanish Olive Oil Study) Study Investigators: Alcántara M, Covas MI, Fitó M, Marrugat J, Schröder H, Weinbrenner T, Alcántara M, Muñoz D, Guxens M (Unitat de Lipids i Epidemiologia Cardiovascular, Institut Muncipal d’Investigació Mèdica), de la Torre R, Farré M, Menoyo E, Pujadas-Bastardes M, Closas N, Khymenets O (Unitat de Farmacologia, Institut Muncipal d’Investigació Mèdica), and de la Torre-Boronat C, Gimeno E, Lamuela R and López MC (Departament de Bromatologia i Nutricio, Facultat de Farmacia, Universitat de Barcelona).

Contributors: Drs MF, MC, and MIC had full access to all the data in the study and take responsibility for the integrity of the data and the accuracy of analyses; Study concept and design: MF, MC, MIC, RT, JM; Acquisition of the data: MA, DM, MF, MC, MP-B, JM, HS; Analysis and interpretation of data: MF, MC, MIC, RT, MCL-S, JM; Drafting of the manuscript: MF, MC, MIC; Critical revision of the manuscript for important intellectual content: MA, MC, MIC, MF, RT, HS, JM, JM, MCL-S, JB, DM, MP-B; Statistical analyses: MF, MC; Obtained funding: MC, MIC, JB; Administrative, technical and material support: MF, JM, DM, MP-B, HS, MA.

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Fitó, M., Cladellas, M., de la Torre, R. et al. Anti-inflammatory effect of virgin olive oil in stable coronary disease patients: a randomized, crossover, controlled trial. Eur J Clin Nutr 62, 570–574 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602724

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602724

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