Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35647665›Full record

SynthesisJournal of the American Heart Association2022

Omega-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids Intake and Blood Pressure: A Dose-Response Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.

Xin Zhang, Jennifer A Ritonja, Na Zhou, Bingshu E Chen, Xinzhi Li

Open access · goldAbstract readMeta-AnalysisReview
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of the American Heart Association, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 60 papers, 9 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
60citing papers in PubMed, 9 pooled it
12.8field-weighted citation impact, top 1% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

60 citing papers in PubMed, 9 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 105 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Formulation-Specific Cardiovascular Outcomes with High-Dose Eicosapentaenoic Acid: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.American journal of cardiovascular drugs : drugs, devices, and other interventions · 2026
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  18. Inflammatory Biomarkers and Serum Fatty Acids in High-Risk Populations: A Research Protocol.International journal of sciences, basic and applied research · 2026
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.

Xin ZhangSchool of Pharmacy and State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicines Macau University of Science and Technology Taipa Macau China.
Jennifer A RitonjaDepartment of Public Health Sciences and Canadian Cancer Trials Group Queen's University Kingston Ontario Canada.
Na ZhouSchool of Pharmacy and State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicines Macau University of Science and Technology Taipa Macau China.
Bingshu E ChenDepartment of Public Health Sciences and Canadian Cancer Trials Group Queen's University Kingston Ontario Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-6139-0696
Xinzhi LiSchool of Pharmacy and State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicines Macau University of Science and Technology Taipa Macau China.ORCID 0000-0003-1549-3437
Macau University of Science and Technology · MOQueen's University · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background Current evidence might support the use of omega-3 fatty acids (preferably docosahexaenoic acid and eicosapentaenoic acid) for lowering blood pressure (BP), but the strength and shape of the dose-response relationship remains unclear. Methods and Results This study included randomized controlled trials published before May 7, 2021, that involved participants aged ≥18 years, and examined an association between omega-3 fatty acids (docosahexaenoic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid, or both) and BP. A random-effects 1-stage cubic spline regression model was used to predict the average dose-response association between daily omega-3 fatty acid intake and changes in BP. We also conducted stratified analyses to examine differences by prespecified subgroups. Seventy-one trials were included, involving 4973 individuals with a combined docosahexaenoic acid+eicosapentaenoic acid dose of 2.8 g/d (interquartile range, 1.3 g/d to 3.6 g/d). A nonlinear association was found overall or in most subgroups, depicted as J-shaped dose-response curves. The optimal intake in both systolic BP and diastolic BP reductions (mm Hg) were obtained by moderate doses between 2 g/d (systolic BP, -2.61 [95% CI, -3.57 to -1.65]; diastolic BP, -1.64 [95% CI, -2.29 to -0.99]) and 3 g/d (systolic BP, -2.61 [95% CI, -3.52 to -1.69]; diastolic BP, -1.80 [95% CI, -2.38 to -1.23]). Subgroup studies revealed stronger and approximately linear dose-response relations among hypertensive, hyperlipidemic, and older populations. Conclusions This dose-response meta-analysis demonstrates that the optimal combined intake of omega-3 fatty acids for BP lowering is likely between 2 g/d and 3 g/d. Doses of omega-3 fatty acid intake above the recommended 3 g/d may be associated with additional benefits in lowering BP among groups at high risk for cardiovascular diseases.

Indexed as

Eicosapentaenoic AcidFatty Acids, Omega-3AdolescentAdultBlood PressureDocosahexaenoic AcidsHumansRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicDocosahexaenoic AcidsEicosapentaenoic AcidFatty Acids, Omega-31‐stage regressiondocosahexaenoic acideicosapentaenoic acidhypertensionlong‐chain fatty acids

Identifiers

PMID35647665
PMCPMC9238708
OpenAlexW4281782954

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.