Journal of internal medicine
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Twelve healthy young men followed a 10-d controlled diet that included 210 g of fatty fish d-1. The diet was repeated after 18 d, but with lean meat substituted for fish. Blood samples were collected for assessment of serum lipids and haemostatic variables in the plasma. ⋯ Thus, in a paired comparison of the two diets, the fish diet was associated with higher levels of t-PA antigen (5.4 vs. 4.7 g ml-1), which is considered to be beneficial with regard to prevention of cardiovascular disease. However, the fish diet was concurrently associated with the putative unfavourable higher levels of PAI-1 antigen (3.0 vs. 1.2 ng ml-1) and PAI activity (6.1 vs. 3.2 IU ml-1), and lower t-PA activity (80 vs. 140 mIU ml-1). Thus it is unclear which of the two diets has the greatest potential in the prevention of cardiovascular disease.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Acupuncture in angina pectoris: does acupuncture have a specific effect?
To overcome the methodological problems of blinding the patients and the acupuncturist in acupuncture trials, 33 patients with stable angina pectoris, who were randomized to either genuine or sham acupuncture, received electroacupuncture by another acupuncturist, and the change in skin temperature was recorded. It was found that the change in skin temperature correlated significantly with the degree of improvement following both genuine and sham acupuncture. ⋯ A significant correlation was found between the duration of disease and the effect of acupuncture. It is concluded that both genuine and sham acupuncture have a specific effect on some angina pectoris patients in addition to the effect of pharmacological therapy.