The purpose of this study was to observe the effects of dietary intervention, through the modification of dietary fatty acids composition and antioxidant vitamins, on plasma thromboxane B2 (TXB2) levels in postmenopausal women with hypercholesterolemia. The subjects were treated for 12 weeks with one of three methods: hormone replacement therapy (HRT group, n=8), dietary intervention (DIET group, n=8), or HRT combined with dietary intervention (HRT+DIET group, n=8). Changes in serum phospholipid fatty acids composition, serum peroxides, and plasma TXB2 levels were measured at weeks 0, 4 and 12. The P/S ratio increased and the n-6/n-3 ratio decreased in the DIET and the HRT+DIET group at week 4 (p<0.05). The ratio of C20:5/C20:4 in serum phospholipid increased in the DIET (p<0.05) and the HRT+DIET groups (NS) at week 4. Plasma TXB2 levels decreased in the DIET (-35%, p<0.05) and the HRT+DIET groups (-18.8%, NS) at week 4. Serum lipid peroxides levels significantly decreased by 10.5% and 15.2% in the DIET group at weeks 4 and 12, and by 10.8% in the HRT+DIET group only at week 12 (p<0.05). Dietary intervention may lower thrombotic risks in Korean postmenopausal women by changing the serum fatty acid composition, serum lipid peroxides levels and plasma thromboxane B2 levels.

We can conclude that dietary intervention produces a considerable improvement in blood lipid profiles and body weight, even though our study is limited by the sample size. Thus, the treatment to reduce risk of CVD should be individualized on the basis of the patient's dietary intake status, and at least, HRT should not be substituted for dietary intervention.