Researchers at Wayne State University have discovered a potential way to improve the lipid profiles in patients undergoing hemodialysis that may prevent cardiovascular disease common in these patients. Patients undergoing hemodialysis for kidney failure are at a greater risk for atherosclerosis, a common disease in which plaque builds up inside the arteries. The team of researchers discovered that a unique combination of vitamin E isomers known as tocotrienols improved the patients' lipid profiles. "After 12 and 16 weeks of intervention, the hemodialysis patients taking the Vitamin E supplements showed significant improvements in their blood lipid profiles," said Pramod Khosla, associate professor of nutrition & food science in Wayne State University's College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. "Specifically, their triglycerides were reduced and their HDL cholesterol levels increased, as compared to the placebo group." "Accelerated cardiovascular disease is a major problem in the end-stage renal disease population, and these findings may lead to new approaches to understanding its pathophysiology and to treatment," commented Dr. James Sondheimer, associate professor of internal medicine in Wayne State's School of Medicine. "A multicenter trial to confirm these findings and determine clinical significance is clearly called for."

http://medicalxpress.com/news/2014-01-potential-treatment-heart-health-hemodialysis.html
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/01/140115113514.htm