Scientific Study

Objective: The primary objective of this study was to determine the effects of a healthy diet supplemented with extra virgin olive oil or pecan nuts on plasma fatty acid (PFA) in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). Research Methods & Procedures: Patients aged 40 to 80 years were randomized to one of three dietary interventions (allocation ratio 1: 1: 1): healthy diet based on guidelines (control group [CG]), healthy diet supplemented with 30 g/day of pecan nuts (PNG), or a healthy diet supplemented with 30 mL/day of extra virgin olive oil (OOG). PFA were identified at baseline and at the end of follow-up (12 weeks), and correlations between dietary fatty acids intake, PFA, and clinical biomarkers of the lipid profile were also assessed before and after the interventions. Results: Among 149 participants included in the analysis (CG: n = 43; PNG: n = 51; OOG: n = 55), correlations were observed between food intake, PFA, and lipid profile before and after interventions independent of statins used, but all correlations were considered weak. At the end of the study, the OOG showed increased concentrations of oleic fatty acid independently of the type of statin in use (1.49%, 95% confidence interval 0.08 – 2.89; P = 0.029); however, there were no significant differences between the groups regarding the final mean values of oleic fatty acid or in the other PFAs. Conclusions: In patients with stable CAD, there were no significant differences in PFA after 12 weeks according to dietary interventions evaluated. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nut.2021.111411