Oral nitrate supplementation improves cardiovascular risk markers in COPD: ON-BC, a randomised controlled trial
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Short-term studies suggest that dietary nitrate (NO3 -) supplementation may improve the cardiovascular risk profile, lowering blood pressure (BP) and enhancing endothelial function. It is not clear if these beneficial effects are sustained and whether they apply in people with COPD, who have a worse cardiovascular profile than those without COPD. Nitrate-rich beetroot juice (NR-BRJ) is a convenient dietary source of nitrate. METHODS: The ON-BC trial was a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled parallel group study in stable COPD patients with home systolic BP (SBP) measurement ≥130 mmHg. Participants were randomly allocated (1:1) using computer-generated, block randomisation to either 70 mL NR-BRJ (400 mg NO3 -) (n=40) or an otherwise identical nitrate-depleted placebo juice (0 mg NO3 -) (n=41), once daily for 12 weeks. The primary end-point was between-group change in home SBP measurement. Secondary outcomes included change in 6-min walk distance (6MWD) and measures of endothelial function (reactive hyperaemia index (RHI) and augmentation index normalised to a heart rate of 75 beats·min-1 (AIx75)) using an EndoPAT device. Plasma nitrate and platelet function were also measured. RESULTS: Compared with placebo, active treatment lowered SBP (Hodges-Lehmann treatment effect -4.5 (95% CI -5.9- -3.0) mmHg), and improved 6MWD (30.0 (95% CI 15.7-44.2) m; p<0.001), RHI (0.34 (95% CI 0.03-0.63); p=0.03) and AIx75 (-7.61% (95% CI -14.3- -0.95%); p=0.026). CONCLUSIONS: In people with COPD, prolonged dietary nitrate supplementation in the form of beetroot juice produces a sustained reduction in BP, associated with an improvement in endothelial function and exercise capacity.
Date Issued
2024-02-01
Date Acceptance
2023-11-06
Citation
European Respiratory Journal, 2024, 63 (2)
ISSN
0903-1936
Publisher
European Respiratory Society
Journal / Book Title
European Respiratory Journal
Volume
63
Issue
2
Copyright Statement
©The authors 2024. This version is distributed under
the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licence 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licence 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
License URL
Identifier
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/38123239
PII: 13993003.02353-2022
Subjects
Antioxidants
Blood Pressure
Cardiovascular Diseases
Cross-Over Studies
Dietary Supplements
Double-Blind Method
Humans
Nitrates
Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive
Risk Factors
Publication Status
Published
Coverage Spatial
England
Article Number
2202353
Date Publish Online
2024-02-01