Heart rate variability and long chain n-3 PUFA in patients with chronic kidney disease commencing haemodialysis: a cross-sectional study

The risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) is doubled when a patient with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 5 starts haemodialysis. Low heart rate variability (HRV) has been reported to be independently associated with increased risk of SCD and all cardiac death in haemodialysis patients. Long chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC n-3 PUFA; 20:5 n -3, EPA and 22:6 n -3, DHA) may exert anti-arrhythmic effects on cardiac myocytes. Haemodialysis...